Aggressive wing has been shut out in 6th NHL year

 

David Vest
© The Arizona Republic
Mar. 30, 2006 12:00 AM

 

SAN JOSE - Spectators at Coyotes home games love it when left wing Tyson Nash comes flying onto the ice because they know it won't be long before the long-haired fourth-liner throws his body into an opponent.

 

But while Nash's aggressive checking style keeps scoring with the fans, Nash isn't scoring goals and is flirting with the first no-goal season of his six-year NHL career.

 

"Everybody wants to score goals and everybody should score a few goals a year so I'm definitely not happy with it, and, yeah, it's been a little frustrating," Nash said. "I'm definitely not here to score goals, but everybody's got to contribute something."

 

Nash, who has missed 27 games because of injuries and was a healthy scratch once, entered the season averaging 5.4 goals per year after his first five NHL seasons.

 

"It just seemed like all year I wasn't getting good chances," Nash said. "But the guys are feeding me pucks now and it seems like I've had more opportunities lately."

 

Nash took a season-high seven shots on goal Tuesday vs. Nashville but none got by Predators goalie Tomas Vokoun.

 

"Now it's almost like I'm snake-bitten, if there is such a thing for a non-goal scorer," Nash said, only half-jokingly.

Nash feels comfortable playing on a line with veteran center Mike Ricci and rookie enforcer Josh Gratton, and thinks the recently assembled trio is a good mix.

 

"It's been so fun to have them out there with me," Nash said. "I've kind of had (similar linemates) my whole career. In St. Louis, we had a line like that and I feel we really haven't had a line like that all year this year and I feel it's so nice to have that . . . Gratton makes a lot of room for everybody out there."