Tobias Rieder's impact on Coyotes grows in 2nd NHL season

Sarah McLellan | azcentral sports

RALEIGH, N.C. – The last time the Coyotes visited the Hurricanes, winger Tobias Rieder was a spectator – in Albany, N.Y.

Rieder was with the organization’s minor-league affiliate, resting up for a game the next day as he watched the action from his hotel room. Arizona ended up falling 3-0, a third straight loss that initiated a change, and the next day, Rieder recorded his first goal -- the game-winner -- in his NHL debut in Washington against the Capitals.

“All of a sudden I was standing on the ice with (Alex) Ovechkin,” he recalled with a smile. “That was pretty crazy.”

Rieder didn’t look out of place as a rookie and now, as a sophomore nearing his 100th career game, the 22-year-old could easily be considered one of the Coyotes’ more vital forwards.

“He’s a very unheralded player but a very solid player,” coach Dave Tippett said. “He’s today’s NHL player where he plays fast, he’s smart, has good skill. I think we’ve probably overused him at times because of some injuries and trying to get competitive. But he’s going to be a real good, solid player for a long time. Just does a lot of things right that sometimes go unnoticed.”

The Coyotes are 7-1 when Rieder records an assist and 9-3 when he tallies a point. Amid the team’s current three-game slide, Rieder hasn’t managed a point and he hasn’t scored since Nov. 5 against the Avalanche but he still finds ways to be effective as one of the few Coyotes called upon in every situation – 5-on-5, power play and penalty kill.

“He’s got great hockey sense,” Tippett said. “He reads the game well. He doesn’t put himself in bad positions.”

Some of that awareness is learned. Rieder, who is on track to play Game No. 100 Tuesday in St. Louis against the Blues, acknowledged he has a better understanding of how much time he has to execute in Year 2 than he did in Year 1. But much of his intuition is ingrained – byproducts of time spent playing against men in Germany as a 16-year-old, in the junior ranks and in the American Hockey League.

And now, as an NHLer, Rieder has emerged as a valuable two-way presence that is regularly a catalyst for the team's success.

“When I got called up, I thought I’m going to be playing 12, 13 minutes for a while but that changed pretty quick,” he said. “All I can say is thanks to the coaches for giving me that trust, and it’s just been unbelievable.”

Back to business

Arizona dropped three games in four nights to start this five-game road trip – this after three wins in four nights at home.

The Coyotes return to the ice Sunday afternoon to take on the Hurricanes after having Saturday off.

“When adversity hits, we can’t feel sorry for ourselves,” goalie Mike Smith said. “Only the guys in here can get us out of it. It’s easy to hang your head and say, ‘Poor me.’ But the character of this group needs to show in those hard times.”

Smith has started all three games on the trip but finished only two. After giving up three goals in the first period en route to a 5-1 loss to the Red Wings Thursday, Smith was pulled from the game but was back in the crease Friday against the Sabres and was on the hook for four goals in a 5-2 defeat.

“Goaltending has to be your best player and with this group if it’s not, we’re going to be in trouble,” Smith said. “So I think it starts with me.”

Lineup change

Defenseman Connor Murphy was a healthy scratch against the Sabres.

Murphy has committed a string of penalties recently, going to the penalty box five times in his past four games.

“We’re trying to get better,” Tippett said. “What we’re doing lately is not good enough. We have got too many people playing below par. He’s a young player. You take a day and watch a game and see where he’s at.”

Reach the reporter at sarah.mclellan@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8276. Follow her at twitter.com/azc_mclellan.

Sunday's game

Coyotes at Hurricanes

When: 3 p.m.

Where: PNC Arena.

TV/radio: None/KTAR-FM (92.3).

Hurricanes update: The Hurricanes hosted the Canadiens Saturday and are 2-2-1 in the second game of a back-to-back this season. Before playing Montreal, Carolina had lost three in a row and was outscored 13-5 in those games. Entering play Saturday, the Hurricanes sat 28th in the NHL with 2.04 goals-per-game. They also ranked 25th in goals-against-per-game (2.96). Defenseman Justin Faulk paced the team with 18 points. He and center Victor Rask were tied for the team-lead in goals with eight.