The Coyotes hosted their first regular season home game in team history at Phoenix Suns Arena on October 10, 1996 with a 4–1 win over the San Jose Sharks. They finished the 1996–97 season with a 38–37–7 record to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. That playoff appearance was short lived with a Game 7 loss to the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Just over 7 years later, the team played their last home game within Phoenix city limits with a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on December 15, 2003.