Winless Coyotes could get Raanta back vs. Devils

The Arizona Coyotes are off to the worst start in franchise history at 0-9-1. They've had every problem imaginable but one of them -- goaltending -- could be solved Saturday.

Antti Raanta, acquired in the offseason to serve as the Coyotes' No. 1 goaltender, could return from a two-week absence due to a lower-body injury to face the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. He was on the ice Wednesday and practiced Friday, and the coaching staff feels he could be ready.

"He had a good day today so we'll decide (Saturday)," Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said to ArizonaSports.com. "That's positive news here. Obviously, he's a solid goalie but he's really an infectious guy. He's got a lot of personality. We want to see the smile around the room. That will help the team. When your players love your goalie they seem to play harder sometimes."

In Raanta's absence, Louis Domingue (.858) and Adin Hill (.880) have been among the worst goaltenders in the league. Raanta had a .911 save percentage in his three starts and is a career .917 goaltender, so his return could make a much-needed difference for a team that's seeing its season slip away.

"If I could make the choice, I would already be playing," Raanta said to ArizonaSports.com on Thursday, "but I just need to listen to the guys who are a little bit smarter than me and who know something about the human body. I'm not sure what the timetable is right now but hopefully a couple more good practice days."

The Devils (7-2-0) had six days off before their 5-4 shootout win against the Ottawa Senators on Friday night, and they may have Cory Schneider back Saturday. He may have been ready to return Friday but missed the game due to the birth of his daughter earlier in the day, so he may be back to face the Coyotes.

Whether it's Schneider or Keith Kinkaid for a second night in a row, the Devils know they can't take anything for granted against the Coyotes.

"That's a team that's going to be coming out flying," Devils forward Jimmy Hayes said. "They're looking to get a win for themselves, but at the same time we're a team that prides itself on hard work, so we can't have any letdowns. If we continue to play the right way, we'll get the results we want."

The Devils are hoping the same thing that benefitted them Friday will be there Saturday -- contributions from everyone in the lineup. Three of their four goals were finished by three different forward groups and a fourth goal was scored by defenseman Damon Severson.

The Coyotes will have an advantage in terms of energy, but the Devils will rely on their depth to get them wins on back-to-back nights.

"We're finding a lot of depth," said the Devils' Taylor Hall, who had an assist Friday. "That's a huge thing for any good team, they find ways to get contributions from different lines on a nightly basis, it's going to help out in the big picture"