8:37 pm
November 12

Coyotes @ Blackhawks

Who will WIN this matchup?

Arizona Coyotes (1-11-1)

@ Chicago Blackhawks (3-9-2)

 

Starting Goalies:

Scott Wedgewood (ARI): Confirmed

Marc-Andre Fleury (CHI): Confirmed

 

Current odds:

Arizona Coyotes: (+190)

Chicago Blackhawks: (-220)

 

• Eager to put a sour start to the season behind them, the Chicago Blackhawks will try to extend their winning streak to three on Friday night as they host the Arizona Coyotes to close a three-game homestand. The Blackhawks started the surge with Sunday’s 2-1 overtime win against Nashville one day after the firing of coach Jeremy Colliton. On Tuesday, Chicago squandered a two-goal lead in the third period before rallying to top Pittsburgh in a shootout.

• Interim coach Derek King has sensed added oomph and lessened stress since taking the reins. Still, he is cautious about putting too much stock in recent developments and in noting that his record remains perfect as an NHL head coach.

• Arizona will meet Chicago in the opener of a three-game road trip that includes stops to fellow Central Division foes Nashville and St. Louis. After edging the expansion Seattle Kraken 5-4 on Friday to earn their first victory of the season, the Coyotes lost 5-2 to the visiting Minnesota Wild Wednesday night.

• Andrew Ladd converted a breakaway for the Coyotes’ first goal as they aimed to rally from an early 2-0 deficit. It was the second goal of the season for Ladd, who spent parts of four seasons with the Blackhawks and was part of the club’s Stanley Cup championship team in 2010.

• To do so, however, you must advance the puck from your own zone. Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny expressed concern over the team’s ability in that department following Wednesday’s game.

• After playing in his 913th consecutive game Wednesday, Phoenix forward Phil Kessel is set to tie Garry Unger for third place in NHL history. Keith Yandle of the Philadelphia Flyers enters play Friday with 933 consecutive games played. Doug Jarvis holds the league record with 964 consecutive games played from Oct. 8, 1975, to Oct. 10, 1987.

• Chicago is hoping to improve on its middle-of-the-pack power play, which ranked 17th at 20 percent before Thursday’s games. The Coyotes have yielded 15 power-play goals this season, the second-highest total in the NHL.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Chicago Blackhawks
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