Keith Yandle scores against Coyotes friends, survives Doan puck pranks

NEW YORK – Keith Yandle stood on the ice for his pregame television interview, talking about his first battle against the Arizona Coyotes since last season’s trade that made him a New York Ranger.

One puck flew by him. Then another. Then another and another, courtesy of his old teammates, warming up across the ice. 

“A lot of pucks got shot at me when I was doing the pregame interview,” he said. “Doaner probably shot every puck they had down there at me.”

Shane Doan was Yandle’s teammate for the duration of his 558-game term as Arizona’s franchise defenseman.

He admitted, with a grin, that “there might have been a few” pucks shot at Yandle during the pregame.

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Facing Doan and other holdovers from Yandle’s time in Arizona had the New York Rangers defenseman on edge before Thursday night’s game, a 4-1 victory against his old mates.

He played his entire career with the Coyotes before March’s trade to the Rangers, along with defenseman Chris Summers and a fourth-round pick in 2016 in exchange for defenseman John Moore, blue-chip forward Anthony Duclair, a (lottery protected) first-round draft pick in 2016 and a second-round pick in 2015.

“It was nice to get it early in the season, kinda get it out of the way,” he said. “It was one of those things I tried not to think about too much. Tried not to let it get in my head. It was a little bit emotional, but after the first couple of shifts, it was game time.”

It was a game the Rangers wanted to win for Yandle. “One hundred percent,” said Rick Nash, who closed the scoring for them with an empty netter. “For sure. For him to play against his old friends and his old team, it’s important that he gets the win.”

Yandle himself contributed to that effort with a third-period power-play goal that somehow deflected past goalie Mike Smith.

How sweet was that goal against his former team?

“It would have been, if I saw it go in,” Yandle said. “But once I saw [Derek Stepan] point at me, it felt good.”

As emotional as this reunion was, Yandle said there were ways he coped with his first game against his old friends. For example, he had dinner with them on Wednesday night, getting a chance to be reacquainted before facing off the next night.

He hasn’t watched many Coyotes game, due to the Rangers’ early schedule and the time difference. Strangely enough, Yandle said the fact that the Coyotes changed their uniforms this season helped him feel slightly less connected to the team he was facing on Thursday.

“I think it does, in a way,” he said, with a laugh. “Seeing their jerseys are a little different, it might have made it a little easier. And obviously saved me a few turnovers.”

Even though his team couldn’t pull out a win against their old mate, Doan appreciated the chance to reconnect with Yandle.

“It was great,” he said. “He’s a special guy. Unique personality that’s contagious and fun. People gravitate towards him. He’s one of those guys where every young guy wants to hang out with him, and every old guy wants to be like him.”

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