Having had to surmount a number of injuries, particularly on defense, and bear the brunt of eight back-to-back sets in December and a road-heavy winter, the Phoenix Coyotes now have designs on a playoff spot and quite possibly a Pacific Division crown.

That the Coyotes are the hottest team in February and have moved to within two points of first place in the Pacific Division is the reality in the West.

They won five straight games to start the month and have earned 15 of a possible 16 points in February. The Coyotes have had a win streak of five or more games after the All-Star break in each of their past three campaigns, earning berths in the last two postseasons.

“Right now we’re finding ways to win, and we’re doing it the right way. That makes it feel that much better,” goalie Mike Smith said after his 1-0 shutout of the Kings in Los Angeles.

Smith has been an enormous part of the Coyotes' surge, posting a 7-0-0 record with a 0.98 goals against average, a .968 save percentage and two shutouts in February.

Once doubted by some as a legitimate No. 1 goaltender, his numbers are leaner than those of Ilya Bryzgalov last season in Phoenix and much stingier than what the outgoing Bryzgalov has posted in Philadelphia this year.

"You can't really put into words how good (Smith) is right now," captain Shane Doan told the Arizona Republic after Saturday’s 2-1 overtime win over Dallas. "He's been phenomenal for a long time. We've been fortunate. There's a reason we're on a winning streak."

Doan, who has been with the Coyotes for 16 seasons dating back to when the team was the original Winnipeg Jets, is among their free agents to be. He has avoided discussing the deadline or the offseason, opting to concentrate on this campaign.

While his point production has not been overwhelming, Doan continues to be an excellent two-way forward who provides tremendous leadership.

In the Coyotes' physical win over the similarly-styled Los Angeles Kings, Doan sparked his club with a fight against L.A. captain Dustin Brown after Brown’s big hit knocked defenseman Rusty Kesla out of the game.

"That's what makes Shane, I think, the best captain in the league," Phoenix coach Dave Tippett said. "He's a guy that sticks up for his teammates, cares about his teammates.”

While Doan represents the team and another veteran who began his career in Winnipeg, Teemu Selanne, has stolen all the “ageless” ink in Anaheim, Ray Whitney has

His line with Radim Vrbata and Martin Hanzal has provided consistent and timely production for the Coyotes.

They have contributed 30 points combined in the last 11 games. Whitney set up Vrbata for game-winners against Los Angeles and Dallas, two of the four division wins they have had during this point streak.

Vrbata has 28 goals on the year, an impressive total for a player on a squad that thinks defense first at all times. More striking still are his 10 game-winning goals, nine game-winning assists and 19 goals on the road.

For his own part, Vrbata constantly defers to his teammates and focuses on his contribution to the larger effort.

"That's who he is, and that's what makes him a great person and a great player, and he fits very well with our team," Tippett told the Republic. "He's concerned about how our group does, not how he does personally. He's been a great fit for us here. It's not just his play, he's a quiet leader in that dressing room and very well respected."

Having had to surmount a number of injuries, particularly on defense, and bear the brunt of eight back-to-back sets in December and a road-heavy winter, the Coyotes now have designs on a playoff spot and quite possibly a division crown.

“Hopefully, we continue to improve. Every game is a desperation game for us, which in the end makes you a better team,” Tippett said after the win over L.A. last week.

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