NHL Odds, Pick, Prediction: Coyotes vs. Flames (April 16)
Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: Calgary Flames teammates Matthew Tkachuk, center, celebrates a goal with Johnny Gaudreau and Elias Lindholm.
- The Flames are heavy home favorites against the Coyotes on Saturday night.
- The Coyotes are playing horrific hockey, but is there value in buying low on them here?
- Tony Sartori breaks down the matchup and shares his best bet below.
Coyotes vs. Flames Odds
| Coyotes Odds | +360 |
| Flames Odds | -500 |
| Over/Under | 6 (-120/+100) |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via BetMGM. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Central Division's eighth-place Arizona Coyotes travel to Calgary to take on the Pacific Division's first-place Flames. This is the third meeting between these two teams this season as the Flames have won both of the first two matchups.
Will the Flames take care of business once again, or can the Coyotes keep this game close?
Can the Coyotes Snap Their Losing Streak?
The Arizona Coyotes enter this game in awful form as they have lost five straight games, all of which were by four goals or more. While every aspect of their game has been atrocious, their poor defensive play and goaltending are the primary culprits of this drought.
Arizona has given up five or more goals in all five of those losses, surrendering an average of 5.8 per game. This defensive lapse shouldn't be too much of a surprise as the Coyotes rank just 30th in the league this season in five-on-five Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes (xGA).
Karel Vejmelka is the projected starting goaltender for Arizona and also has his fair share of the blame for the recent slide. Vejmelka has now given up six or more goals in three straight starts, posting a troubling 0.818 Save Percentage over that span.
The Coyotes will have an absolutely depleted lineup for this game as they currently have seven players who are expected to miss this contest due to injury. Add to the fact that the Coyotes have absolutely nothing to play for at this point in the year, and the Flames should have their way with them.
Flames Offense Look to Stay Hot
The Calgary Flames enter this contest in great form as they have won five of their last six games. Calgary should be able to keep it rolling against an Arizona team that is playing its worst hockey all season, and that is truly saying something.
I mentioned above how the Coyotes have surrendered an average of 5.8 goals per game, which is terrible news for them in this contest as the Flames have one of the best offenses in the league. This season, Calgary ranks fourth in five-on-five Expected Goals For per 60 minutes (xGF).
The Flames are always a threat to post a big number on the scoreboard, which we just saw on Tuesday with their 5-3 win over the Kraken and a few weeks ago with their 9-5 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Expect to see the Flames put up at least five in this matchup.
Coyotes vs. Flames Pick
I think there is value in the Flames' Team Total Over 5.5 at +250, however, I will take a safer play and take their Team Total Over 4.5 at +115. Until the Coyotes have a game where they actually show up to a rink looking like a professional hockey team, they should be a good fade for the final stretch of the season.
This game has a great recipe for a blowout as the Flames' offense is one of the best in the league, while the Coyotes would probably allow a junior team to score at least a few on them.
Pick: Calgary Flames Team Total Over 4.5 (+115) | Play down to (+100)
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