The Phoenix Coyotes will play a third straight game without defenseman Derek Morris, who is dealing with a lower-body injury, according to Dave Vest of the team’s Web site.
Update: Morris isn’t the only key Coyotes player likely on the sideline. AZ Central’s Sarah McLellan reports that Martin Hanzal is day-to-day with an illness, Radim Vrbata might miss today’s game and Morris has been placed on the IR. Ouch.
Morris, 35, might not sound like a key piece for Phoenix any longer, but he’s having a startlingly strong start to 2013-14. He has 10 points in 14 games, just one short of the 11 he produced in 2012-13 (39 games) and 2011-12 (59 contests).
Generally speaking, the Coyotes have been feasting on production from the blueline, with three defensemen (Morris, Keith Yandle and Oliver Ekman-Larsson) already boasting 10+ points.
The Coyotes face the Blues in St. Louis on Tuesday.