Goalie Niklas Treutle had a difficult first NHL start Thursday, surrendering five goals amid an 11-save abbreviated performance against the high-flying Ducks.
But instead of letting him mull over the letdown from the backup position on the Coyotes bench, the team prescribed more ice time for the 24-year-old by assigning him to the American Hockey League on Saturday.
“He’s a worker,” coach Dave Tippett said. “He’ll use that as motivation to make himself better.”
In a corresponding move, the Coyotes called up Marek Langhamer to be the latest goalie to man the No. 2 role behind Louis Domingue while Mike Smith continues to recover from surgery on a core muscle injury.