Mike Smith cannot wait to play the San Jose Sharks three more times this season. Smith shutout the Sharks 1-0 in a shootout Saturday, making 33 saves and was spectacular against them last season, shutting San Jose out three times in six contests. He had a 1.98 GAA and a .948 save percentage last season and is looking for more of the same in 2013. The two sides next meet on March 30.

Mike Smith was superb in his 1-0 shootout win over San Jose Saturday. By making 33 stops in the shutout Smith's confidence gets a boost. "It was a good one for me because they throw a lot of stuff at your feet from all different angles, and you have to be sharp all over the ice," Smith said. "It was a good one for me to get under my belt. Smith's struggles early in the season may have been overblown, as the net minder was victimized for 12 goals in two losses to the Blackhawks, but sports a 1.50 GAA and .935 save percentage otherwise.

Mike Smith made 33 saves for the Coyotes through regulation and overtime and he stopped both shootout attempts in a 1-0 win against San Jose Saturday. The shutout was his second of the year and it follows a tough game for him on Thursday against Chicago when he allowed six goals on 22 shots. Smith has endured some ups and downs this year, but he is showing signs of returning to the superb form he displayed in 2011-12.

"It was the most embarrassed I've been since I got to Phoenix," goalie Mike Smith said. Smith was talking about a 6-2 rout he and the Phoenix Coyotes suffered at the hands of the visiting Chicago Blackhawks Thursday night. Smith allowed six goals on 22 shots in before being replaced by backup Jason LaBarbera. "You start to hit the panic button when things don't go the way you're used to them going," Smith said. "That goes back to everyone being accountable for everything they can control. I can only control doing my job and stopping the puck, and maybe I've fallen into the trap a little bit where I'm starting to worry about people's jobs and not what I'm doing and that's my bad and I think other people have the same issues. I think we're worrying about stuff that's out of our control."

Goalie Mike Smith had a night to forget Thursday, when he and the Coyotes were trounced 6-2 by the Chicago Blackhawks in Phoenix. Smith allowed six goals on 22 shots before being pulled from the game and replaced by backup Jason LaBarbera, who stopped all 11 shots he faced from the Hawks. Smith and the Coyotes trailed 4-0 after a period in this one.

Mike Smith turned in his second consecutive gem as the goaltender turned aside 21 of 22 shots to spark the Phoenix Coyotes to a 2-1 win over the visiting Minnesota Wild on Monday night. It was Smith's third start in four days. He's hot. He was coming off a shutout.

Mike Smith is expected to start on Monday. It will be Smith's third start in four days. Smith is coming off a shutout, but even still, we'd be hesitant to start him given his recent workload.

Mike Smith will likely get the call in net Monday when the Coyotes host the Minnesota Wild. The Coyotes have allowed only five goals in their last four games after giving up a league high 20 in their first five contests. Smith had a shutout Saturday after facing only 17 shots. "You can't say enough about how they came out tonight (Saturday)," Smith said. "We did some good things in the first period. I think we were a little sloppy with puck management, but as the game goes on we played more and more to the style that everyone likes to see us play and what got us deep in the playoffs last year." Activate Smith if you haven't done so already.

Despite earning a shutout on Saturday, Mike Smith still isn't feeling perfectly comfortable in goal. Smith stopped all 17 shots he faced against the Stars, but acknowledges he's still working himself out of his early-season funk. "A shutout is nice," Smith said. "To win a game is the biggest confidence builder, just to feel good in there and feel like pucks are hitting you and you're in the right position. Even though it's a shutout, I didn't feel like I have before so there's still some work to be done. Saying that, it's obviously a big step in the right direction." Smith's struggles present a nice buy-low opportunity.

Mike Smith made 17 saves in a 2-0 shutout of the Stars on Saturday night. It was the 19th shutout of his career. It was a promising performance after he gave up three on 24 shots Friday night in his first action since Jan. 23. Smith will look to continue to build up his confidence Monday when the Coyotes host the Wild.