NHL Best Bets: Coyotes vs. Flames Game Picks

The Calgary Flames will look to pile on the struggles of Arizona when they host the coyotes from the Scotiabank Saddledome tonight.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Arizona Coyotes (+280) vs. Calgary Flames (-360) Total: 6 (O -110, U -110)

The Coyotes did not enter this season with high expectations. With a franchise-altering draft on the horizon, the Coyotes’ intentions have been clear, which their record demonstrates. Over their last ten games, they’ve posted a 2-5-3 record, while the Flames are 5-4-1 over that same sample size. Calgary has been much better as the home team this year, sitting at 8-5-1, while the Coyotes are 6-9-3 as the visitors. Even with a roster as poor as the Coyotes have, there will be outlier games where they win, but they also are set to enter this game as sizable underdogs at +280 on the moneyline, compared to the Flames sitting at -360. 

Even with the Flames being large favorites tonight, they haven’t been that consistent through nearly two months. This will be the first of three meetings between these teams, and you’re starting to see the Flames play much more like the defensive team they were expected to be, which has them 13th in the league in goals allowed per game. 

Looking toward the expected goalie matchup, the visiting Coyotes are expected to continue leaning on Karel Vejmelka, while the Flames should do the same with Jacob Markstrom. The Coyotes netminder has a 6-6-3 record with a .913 save percentage, while Markstrom is 8-6-2 with a .889 save percentage. A lot more will be expected of Markstrom moving forward, especially considering that the defensive play has been much better for the Flames.

Having confidence in the Coyotes is hard, and there’s no value in considering the Flames on the moneyline. As a result, the best direction you can look toward involves the Flames on the puck line, currently priced at -128. 

Best Bet: Flames puck line -1.5 (-128) 

With Vejmelka’s play and the Flames’ defense, it’s easy to imagine that goals will be at a premium tonight. Markstrom has struggled for the Flames, but taking on a Coyotes team that sits 28th in the NHL in goals per game could be a way to get him back on track. With the total set at six and both the over and under sitting with equal value at -110, it’s hard to fade the under with how these teams should approach this game. 

Best Bet: Under six (-110)

There hasn’t been a ton of sustained offensive success from the Calgary Flames this season, but one player that’s continued to get better as the games have gone along has been Elias Lindholm. The Flames center has tallied eight goals and ten assists through 24 games and leads the team in points. With a juicy matchup against the Coyotes, it’s hard to look away from Lindholm to light the lamp. As a result, there’s some value prevalent here in targeting the Swedish forward to score, which is priced at an appetizing +154. 

Best Prop: Elias Lindholm to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+154)