Preview: Coyotes Face Oilers in Edmonton on Friday

April 12, 2024 | 6 pm MST | Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta
TV: Arizona 61 | Radio: Stream Only (Arizona Coyotes, NHL, Arizona Sports App)

Fresh off a 4-3 overtime win over the Vancouver Canucks, the Arizona Coyotes are set to face the Edmonton Oilers in the fourth game of their five-game road trip, marking the second of three meetings between the two teams.

Arizona and Edmonton will wrap up their series next Wednesday in the Coyotes’ season finale. The Oilers won 6-3 at Mullett arena on Feb. 19.

Defenseman Sean Durzi has tied his career high for points in a season, and is just two points away from 40 on the year. Forward Logan Cooley, meanwhile, enters Friday night just one goal shy of the 20-goal benchmark. The 19-year-old has two goals and two assists over his last four games, and is quickly climbing the ranks of total rookie points in team history.

Goalie Karel Vejmelka is expected to start tonight, having won three of his last five starts. He is 0-3-0 with a 5.72 goals-against average and .842 save percentage in his career against the Oilers.

Player to Watch: None other than Dylan Guenther, who has 31 points in 42 games this season, and seven points over his last five games. The 21-year-old has not recorded a point against the Oilers in two games against them.

ABOUT THE OILERS
Edmonton has won three straight, and has maintained their second place positioning in the Pacific Division, four points behind the Vancouver Canucks. They most recently won 5-1 over the Vegas Golden Knights, and have outscored their opponents 15-5 over that span.

Superstar Connor McDavid, who leads the league in assists (99), and is third in the league with 130 points, is questionable for the game after being listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. 

Even so, the Oilers feature one of the most prolific offenses in the game, and rank fourth in the league with 3.60 goals-for per game. Leon Draisaitl is second on the team in points with 104 points, followed by Evan Bouchard (79), Zach Hyman (75), and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (66).

Stuart Skinner has done the lion’s share of work in net this season, and his 35 wins are tied for second-most in the NHL. Backup Calvin Pickard is 12-6-0 with a 2.38 goals-against average and .906 save percentage.

Skinner earned the win against the Coyotes earlier this season.

Edmonton allows the ninth-fewest goals per game (2.83), and its power play ranks fourth (26.69 percent) while its penalty kill is 15th (79.35 percent).

Player to Watch: Nugent-Hopkins, who is celebrating his 31st birthday today. The talented forward has five points over his last two games, and 28 points in 43 career games against the Coyotes.