Wild vs. Coyotes Odds
| Wild Odds | -205 |
| Coyotes Odds | +165 |
| Over/Under | 5.5 |
| Time | 10 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Arizona Coyotes finally got into the win column after a 5-4 home victory against the Seattle Kraken. That brings Arizona's record to a rather unimpressive 1-10-1; however, it is a step in the right direction.
Minnesota is 8-3 overall and is riding a three game win streak, sitting in first place in the Central Division and entering this matchup as a heavy favorite.
Arizona obviously has not done anything special this season, but will we see the Coyotes rally on their home ice and build on their newly found momentum?
Wild Surging Behind Offense
After losing two consecutive games at the end of October, the Wild have come back strong and have started off the month of November on the right foot.
Minnesota has yet to score fewer than five goals in and of their three November games, showing that this offense has found momentum and is officially out of their short slump.
In the grand scheme of things, finding the back of the net has not been a problem for the Wild. In all situations, they have scored a total of 36 goals which is the 10th-most in the league. This is also a squad that has an xGF/60 of 2.85, the eighth-best mark in the NHL.
A lot of that success comes from the fact that Minnesota is getting off 36.5 shots on goal per game this season. They should be able to maneuver through a sub-par Arizona defense in this game and continue their high scoring trend.
As a team, they are allowing 3.27 goals per game and 2.73 goals per 60 minutes, two marks that are toward the bottom of the league. However, the Wild have just 1.91 Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes in 5-on-5, a number that could be a sign of things to come.
Cam Talbot is expected to get the start in goal, but Minnesota will have a quick turnaround as they play the Golden Knights on Wednesday. That could mean Kaapo Kahkonen could start in net.
In 5-on-5 situations, Talbot has an SV % of .909 and -2.5 Goals Saved Above Expected, while Kahkonen has an SV % of .872 and -1.4 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Coyotes Have Finally Won A Game
Arizona is no longer winless, which is a great sign. However, this is still a team that has holes everywhere.
Despite scoring five goals in their last matchup, the Coyotes have been bad on offense. They come into this one with 1.92 Expected Goals For per 60 minutes in 5-on-5, a number that is simply too low to remain competitive with most teams. This is a team that is only scoring 1.98 goals per game, and clearly hasn't posed much of a threat to opposing defenses.
Some advanced metrics show that the defense has not been that bad. Arizona is right in the middle of league with 2.24 Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes, but as a team they are surrendering four goals per game and allowing 31.9 shots on goal. They could be in trouble against a Wild team that has had two days of rest.
Karel Vejmelka is expected to get the start in net. In 5-on-5 situation, Vejmelka has been surprisingly good and has a SV % of .933 and 0.3 Goals Saved Above Expected.
Wild vs. Coyotes Pick
Both teams are coming into this matchup with plenty of rest, and both squads have found some momentum on which they are looking to build.
There have been five or more goals scored in Minnesota's last 10 games, and given their success scoring the puck this season and within the last week, I think we see the high scoring games continue.
Arizona has been lagging behind on offense, but it is certainly possible for them to score the puck against Talbot or Kahkonen.
I expect the Wild to score their fair share of goals, and I think the Coyotes will get in the mix as well and push this towards a high total.
Pick: Over 5.5 (-115)
