The lower body injury suffered by goaltender Mike Smith is a groin injury. Smith suffered the injury in the third period of Tuesday's game. The Coyotes do not think that it will be a serious injury so consider him day-to-day for now. Jason LaBarbera will get the lion's share of the goaltending duties in Smith's absence with Justin Pogge, a career minor leaguer, backing him up.

Mike Smith's undisclosed injury is related to his lower body. That doesn't tell us much, but it's something. Smith left Tuesday's game early in the third period because of the ailment. He's listed as day-to-day.

Mike Smith stopped 19 of 20 shots, but was forced to leave the Coyotes' 2-1 win over Florida early in the third period due to an undisclosed injury. The nature of Smith's injury is not known at this time, but he was replaced by Jason LaBarbera, who turned aside all eight shots he faced, including a penalty shot, to preserve the win.

Mike Smith was the unfortunate victim of a buzzer-beating goal Saturday night against the New York Rangers as the Phoenix Coyotes fell 3-2. Smith played very well for most of the night, making 27 saves, and it looked like he was on the verge of backstopping the Yotes to at least a point. Instead, in an absolute stunner, Brad Richards' seemingly harmless backhander with next to nothing remaining, squeaked by, hit the far post and crossed the goal line with one-tenth of a second remaining in the game. Smith has one win in his last five games, but he did look much steadier between the pipes tonight.

Mike Smith yielded two goals on 20 shots in the Phoenix Coyotes' 4-2 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. Smith wasn't great and it nearly cost the Coyotes a chance at this game as he allowed the 2-2 tying goal 6:11 into the third period. The 29-year-old's early-season stock is slipping a bit as he has allowed 21 goals in his last six games, giving him a 14-9-3 record, 2.53 goals-against average and .920 save percentage on the year. The win snapped the Yotes' (and Smith's) three-game losing skid.

Mike Smith stopped 24 of 28 shots in a 4-1 defeat Wednesday. Smith got off to a great start this season, but he has allowed three or more goals in each of his last five contests. Smith was probably playing a bit above his head in October and November, but he shouldn't finish the season with numbers significantly worse than his current 2.55 GAA and .921 save percentage.

Mike Smith is expected to start for Phoenix in Wednesday night's game versus Anaheim. He has allowed eight goals in his past two outings and was pulled in last Thursday's loss to Detroit. But he owns a 5-0-1 with a 2.00 goals-against average in six career starts against the Ducks and has already beaten them twice this year.

Goaltender Mike Smith is taking the blame for the Phoenix Coyotes' 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild last Saturday night. "The bottom line is, there's an old saying where your goaltender can win and lose hockey games, and (Saturday) I lost it for the team, it's as simple as that," said Smith even though three of the Wild's goals were scored on power plays. "You've got to make saves; you've got to give the team a chance to win. I thought we weren't that bad. We competed hard; we have been. My game wasn't where it has to be. It has nothing to do with penalty kill or power play, whatever it is, all four of those goals that went in shouldn't have."

Mike Smith yielded four goals on only 20 shots in the Phoenix Coyotes' 4-1 setback to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night. Smith was no match for Minnesota's power play, which went 3-for-4 but ranked in the bottom-third in the NHL prior to Saturday's tilt. The 29-year-old has really had a tough go of it of late, allowing 15 goals in his last four games played -- with seven of them going in with his team on the penalty kill.

Mike Smith will start in Saturday's game against Minnesota. Smith has a career 1.58 GAA and .934 save percentage in six games against Minnesota. Hopefully he'll have another strong start versus them as he tries to bounce back from allowing four goals on 11 shots on Thursday.