"A team's bid to make the playoffs can hinge on an errant pass, a soft goal or a bad penalty. That adds up to pressure, but that's no reason to put up "Don't Laugh" or "No Fun Allowed" signs.

The Coyotes have begun a move toward the top eight of the Western Conference, and coach Dave Tippett says the combination of pressure and fun makes it "a great time of year."

"You start to do a lot more scoreboard-watching," Tippett said. "Obviously you want to get your team up and playing the best it can for a stretch run here, and we're in a stretch of games where we're playing against teams that are right there in the standings with us, so an exciting time.

"We have to continue to play well, and the good thing about it, we control our own destiny. If we do the things we think we're capable,of, we'll keep moving along."

Defenseman Derek Morris had some fun in the 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, scoring his first goal of the season. He said the goal itself did not mean much, and that the outcome of the game was what mattered."