There have been some columns written over the past two days suggesting that the Coyotes lost their focus in the wake of Dustin Brown’s hit on Michal Rozsival in the waning minutes of overtime in Game 5 of the Western Conference final at Jobing.com Arena.
It’s a fair question to ask since the L.A. Kings scored a mere 13 seconds later to close out the series. What’s not fair is to reach a conclusion. Why? Because there is no definitive proof.
Sure, Dustin Penner knocked home the game winner in short order after the play in question, but he took advantage of a bouncing puck that came his way. Did a lack of focus make the puck especially bouncy?
The conclusion that the Coyotes lost their focus in the waning minutes is an example of lazy journalism -- like when we interview four fans in the stands and then suggest that their answers are representative of anything more than those four fans’ opinions. Or when we use tiny sample sizes in statistics to prove trends. Or when we report the Coyotes' annual losses without ever seeing the team's books.
When asked afterward if the Brown call was a factor in their demise, the Coyotes, to a man, denied that it was. Maybe their denial was disingenuous, but without an admission, what proof do you have that it was a distraction?
Columns are opinion pieces by nature, so they’re allowed a certain amount of leeway with speculation. But too many columnists fail to base their claims in sound reporting. In this instance, there’s no way to conclude that the Coyotes were seeing red instead of focusing on their defensive-zone coverage in the closing minutes of Game 5.
But hey, don’t let the burden of proof get in the way of a good storyline.
