(Sports Network) - The month of January has been kind to both the Anaheim Ducks and Phoenix Coyotes.
The Coyotes look to extend a seven-game point streak this evening at Jobing.com Arena while the Ducks begin a road-heavy portion of their schedule aiming for a fourth straight victory.
Phoenix has gone 5-0-2 since the start of 2011 and picked up its third straight victory on Thursday. The Coyotes are fourth overall in the Western Conference, one point up on Anaheim, and four back of the Pacific Division- leading Stars.
The Ducks, meanwhile will play five of six and 11 of their next 14 on the road following a 5-1-0 homestand. Anaheim is 8-11-3 on the road, where it has lost four of its last six, compared to 16-7-1 at home.
While both clubs have done well in the new year, it is the Ducks who have had the edge over the Coyotes all season long. Anaheim has won three of four over its division rivals this year, including a pair of victories in Phoenix. The Ducks notched a 3-1 victory when the clubs last met at Jobing.com Arena on Dec. 28.
Anaheim captain Ryan Getzlaf has six assists in the four meetings, but suffered multiple sinus and nasal fractures after getting hit in the face by a shot in the recent matchup. He isn't expected to return to action until sometime in February.
Anaheim goaltender Jonas Hiller is 3-1-0 with a 2.25 goals-against average versus the Coyotes this year, whileBobby Ryan and Corey Perry both have three goals and three assists in the four meetings.
Ryan notched the third hat trick of his career in a 7-4 victory over the Blues on Wednesday that capped the Ducks' homestand. Ryan, who has been filling in for Getzlaf at center on the top line, finished with a career-high four points and has six goals in his last three games after posting just three in 15 games last month.
"We've realized that on a homestand you really need to come out and put your best foot forward," Ryan said. "The month of December was a little bit ugly. We've gone on streaks all year long. We need to come out at home, establish the forecheck and our identity."
Perry added a goal and an assist for the Ducks, who have won six of their last seven overall and were coming off back-to-back shutouts. Hiller was in net for both and had his shutout streak end at 178 minutes and 34 seconds.
Phoenix will try to make sure Hiller doesn't start building a new streak tonight and is coming off Thursday's 5-1 triumph versus Toronto. Shane Doan, Taylor Pyatt, Lauri Korpikoski and Keith Yandle all scored in the third period and Ilya Bryzgalov made 28 saves.
"[Bryzgalov] was really good," Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett said after his club won the opener of a four-game homestand. "These are very important games to us."
Phoenix could be a little short at the blue line tonight after Ed Jovanovski suffered a lower-body injury late in the second period and did not return. Fellow defenseman Michal Rozsival has yet to play for the Coyotes since being acquired from the Rangers on Monday due to a bruised rib and isn't expected to debut until next week.
Bryzgalov, drafted by the Anaheim franchise in 2000, is 1-2-0 with a 3.03 GAA versus his former club this year, while Doan has a pair of goals and five assists in the four meetings.