The Arizona Coyotes are hosting one of the best teams in the NHL on Wednesday night as the Edmonton Oilers come to town. Arizona is still at the bottom of the standings in the league while Edmonton is flying high entering this matchup.
Edmonton has gone 13-5 through its first 18 games, and they have actually been more dominant than that record would suggest. The Oilers are one of the top betting picks to win the Stanley Cup this season, and few teams have as much talent.
Arizona comes into this game with just 10 points on the year, and that’s despite winning two straight games. The Coyotes have shown that they are willing to fight through some adversity, but this game presents another challenge entirely.
Edmonton is the betting favorite at -220 on the moneyline for this matchup with Arizona.
Oilers Just Can’t Be Stopped
It’s almost unfair how much offensive talent the Oilers possess, and they have been blowing teams out since the beginning of the season. Edmonton comes into Wednesday night scoring 3.8 goals per game, and this could be a game that they add to the total.
Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid are two of the best players in the NHL, and both are off to great starts this season. Draisaitl leads the way with 18 goals and 36 total points, while McDavid has a team-high 20 assists on the year.
Edmonton is going to give up some goals, as they are allowing 3.0 goals per game. Goaltender Mikko Koskinen has gone 9-2 so far this season, and he has shown the ability to completely shut down teams at times as well.
There just aren’t many holes on this roster, and they are clearly more talented than the Arizona Coyotes.
Coyotes Can’t Find Scoring
It has been a miserable start to the season for the Coyotes, but they have started to turn things around a bit. Arizona has doubled its win total in the last two games, and that will give them some momentum heading into Wednesday night.
Shayne Gostisbehere leads the team with 14 total points on the year, but the Coyotes just don’t have many scoring threats. Lawson Crouse has scored a team-high five goals this season, but Arizona is going to need more offense if they want to continue winning games.
Goaltending has been the biggest issue for the Coyotes as they are allowing more than 3.53 goals per game. Facing an explosive offensive team like the Oilers could present some serious issues for Arizona on Wednesday night.
Momentum can be a powerful team in the National Hockey League, but it’s going to take a lot more than simple momentum to knock off the Oilers.
Coyotes Come Up Well Short
Arizona does come into this matchup with some momentum, but that’s not going to matter against one of the best teams in the NHL. The Coyotes just continue to struggle to score goals, and they simply won’t be able to keep up.
Edmonton is having to play on back-to-back nights, and that could give Arizona a chance, but the Oilers just have so many weapons. This game feels like a mismatch when looking at it on paper, and that’s how it will play out on the ice.
Forget about taking the moneyline and take the Edmonton Oilers -1.5 as they cruise past the Arizona Coyotes.
