Arizona Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet said hours before Wednesday's game that there remained belief that if the team did the right things, they could win the game and keep their dwindling playoff hopes alive.
But after another loss, 4-2 to the San Jose Sharks for their ninth in 11 games, that belief might be down to faint hope.
The Coyotes got off to another confounding start to the game, going down by three goals. Their comeback attempt came up short and was effectively deflated by a key mistake late in the game.
The Coyotes still had a chance to draw even as time ticked off the clock, but captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson was called for tripping with 2:16 to play.