Gila River Arena is playing host a Pacific Division showdown as the Calgary Flames come into town to face the Arizona Coyotes. The match will get going at 10 p.m. ET on Monday, March 19, and fans at home are able to witness the game live on Fox Sports Arizona.
Calgary Flames at Arizona Coyotes Odds
Calgary is 35-38 straight up (SU) and has lost 9.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 73 regular season outings, 35 of its games have gone over the total, while another 35 have gone under and just two have pushed. The Flames are 20-17 SU as the away team in 2017-18.
Calgary has converted on just 17.3 percent of its power play chances this season, a mark that places them in the bottom-10 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 13th overall, and it has successfully killed off 81.3 percent of its penalties.
For the team as a whole, the Flames have been penalized 4.3 times per game overall in the 2017-18 season, and 2.8 per game over its last five outings. The team’s had to kill penalties just 6.8 minutes per game over their last five outings.
With a .918 save percentage and 28.5 saves per game, Mike Smith (25-26-6) has been the best option in goal for Calgary this season. Smith did just play yesterday, however, so the team might choose to rest him and turn to David Rittich instead (9-10-3 record, .909 save percentage, 2.78 goals against average).
The visiting Flames have relied on Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan this season. Gaudreau (81 points) is up to 23 goals and 58 assists, and has recorded two or more points in 22 different games. Monahan has 30 goals and 33 assists to his credit (and has logged a point in 42 games).
On the other side of the ice, Arizona is 23-48 straight up (SU) and has lost 18.7 units for moneyline bettors thus far. Through 71 regular season contests, 38 of its games have gone under the total, while 32 have gone over and just one has pushed. It’s 14-24 SU as the home team this year.
The Coyotes have converted on just 15.7 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that places them in the bottom 5 overall among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 18th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 79.8 percent of all penalties.
Arizona players have been called for penalties only 3.3 times per game in total this season, and 4.4 per game over their last five match ups. The team’s been forced to kill penalties just 6.4 minutes per contest over their last five home games.
Antti Raanta (26.9 saves per game) has been the primary netminder in goal for the Coyotes. Raanta has 16 wins, 24 losses, and six OT losses to his credit and has registered a 2.42 goals against average and a .924 save percentage this year.
The Coyotes will be led on offense by Clayton Keller (20 goals, 32 assists).
Calgary Flames at Arizona Coyotes Betting Predictions
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Coyotes, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
Over Arizona’s last ten outings, four of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 1-3 in those games).
Power plays and penalty kills may have a key role in tonight’s game. The Flames are 14-16 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 18-21 in games where they’re in the penalty box for fewer than 10 minutes, total. The Coyotes are 10-20 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 17-34 when their penalty minutes are in the single digits.
Calgary is 2-5 in games decided by a shootout this season while Arizona is 2-5 in shootouts.
Calgary might hold the upper hand if this one comes down to the wire. The team’s 20-16 in games decided by one goal, while Arizona is 15-20 in such games.
The under has hit in three of Arizona’s last five outings.
Arizona skaters have averaged 7.8 giveaways over its last five home games, its season average of 7.2 giveaways per game (the 7th-fewest in the NHL).
Calgary skaters have averaged 6.6 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 9.9 giveaways per game (ranked 19th).
The Coyotes this season have tallied the fifth-most hits in the league (24.4 per game), but that number has jumped up to 27.0 over their past five home games.
