(Photo by Julie Levin - KJZZ)

A Coyotes game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Coyotes lost to the Minnesota Wild Thursday night in Glendale, 4 to 1, but team management is also paying attention to another number, 10,075, the attendance at Thursday night’s game. The Coyotes are last in the NHL in average attendance this season and have been either last or next to last in attendance each of the past four seasons, but the Coyotes drew 16 percent more fans between October and December this year than during the same period of 2011.

Only Dallas had better growth, and the Coyotes’ new owners are optimistic about continuing that trend. Anthony LeBlanc is the Coyotes’ co-owner, president and CEO.