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Louis Domingue has been ‘really, really good’

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during the NHL game at Gila River Arena on December 26, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona.

Christian Petersen

A rather unlikely player has stepped up to keep the Arizona Coyotes in the playoff race.

Goalie Louis Domingue started the season in the AHL. But an injury to starter Mike Smith, combined with the ineffective play of backup Anders Lindback, gave the 23-year-old a big opportunity.

Last night, Domingue stopped 25 of 26 shots in a 2-1 win over Calgary. His record improved to 5-2-2; his save percentage to .930.

“He’s been really, really good,” Coyotes forward Martin Hanzal told NHL.com. “He was probably our best player the last four or five games. It helps the team, for sure.”

With Domingue’s help, the Coyotes have shaken off their December struggles and ridden a 6-1-2 stretch into second place in the Pacific Division, three points clear of third-place Vancouver.

In a related story, we wonder if GM Don Maloney is still “willing to pay up an asset” to “get a top-end goaltender that’s a long-term value to the franchise.”

At the risk of getting fooled by a small sample size, maybe Maloney’s already got one of those.