Is there ever such a thing as too much hockey? No, absolutely not. In a hotly contested matchup that will be played in the frigid land of the Stampede City, the Arizona Coyotes will travel north to battle the Calgary Flames in a Western Conference showdown. You know what time it is! Check out our NHL odds series, where we will be making a Coyotes-Flames prediction and pick.
Rumor has it that the Coyotes are currently trying to make tee time reservations a month from now at the numerous golf courses the Grand Canyon State has to offer, as the team is quickly approaching a top pick in the draft with their 20-39-4 overall record. It hasn't been easy sledding for the Yotes, but the season will soon be all but concluded, which is good news for Arizonians near and far.
Second in the Western Conference with 84 points entering Friday's game, the Calgary Flames are serious threats to make some noise come playoff time. Until then, the Flames will have to settle by avoiding a letdown versus the lowly Coyotes. Calgary is coming off a loss at the hands of the Sharks at home. The Flames are 38-17-8 on the year.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Coyotes-Flames odds.
NHL odds: Coyotes-Flames Odds
Arizona Coyotes: +1.5 (+126)
Calgary Flames: -1.5 (-152)
Over: 6 (-118)
Under: 6 (-104)
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Why the Coyotes Could Cover the Spread
Not much has gone right for the Coyotes in 2021-2022, but if there's anything positive to take away as of late, it's that they are 6-4 in their last 10 matchups. That's even including their current three-game losing streak. Arizona has the least amount of points in the Western Conference with 44, and winning some games to conclude the regular season would do wonders for a Coyotes organization that needs some hope heading into the offseason.
Even with the odds stacked against them in this particular matchup as the road team versus a contender like the Flames, Arizona can still find a way to at least cover the spread. In order to accomplish that, the Coyotes need to find better scoring chances when in the Flames' zone.
During their three-game skid, Arizona has only mustered up a combined five goals. There is no question that the Coyotes' best player has been right-winger Clayton Keller, whose 62 points lead the team by a wide margin. If Keller can get going early, watch 0ut for a possible upset bid on Friday night.
Why the Flames Could Cover the Spread
Shifting gears to one of the more complete groups in the Western Conference, the Flames want to prove that they're legit Stanley Cup contenders the rest of the way. Being a contender brings more pressure to win games you are supposed to, especially against lesser teams at home. Not to mention, the dreadful Coyotes will be missing five players due to injuries, leaving them shorthanded and possibly fatigued later in the game.
This should only benefit a Flames squad that plays fast and with urgency, as they are averaging a whopping 3.4 goals per game. Even more impressively, the defense has been a shutdown unit all season long, only giving up 2.43 goals to the opposition.
If there is one key player to circle prior to tonight's matchup, it's superstar left-winger Johnny Gaudreau, who plays like a man possessed at all times and has the fourth-most points with 82 in the entire league. As long as Calgary doesn't shoot itself in the foot, this club should be able to put this game in cruise control for the majority of the evening.
Final Coyotes-Flames Prediction & Pick
This one should be easy-peasy. Arizona represents one of the worst teams in the league while Calgary could win the whole enchilada. Even though sports as a whole are unpredictable and shocking at times, the Flames putting a beatdown on the Coyotes at home shouldn't dumbfound a single soul. The Flames' red-hot season continues with a spread-covering victory over Arizona.
Final Coyotes-Flames Pick: Flames -1.5 (-152)
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