Carolina Hurricanes vs. Arizona Coyotes Prediction, Preview, and Odds

The Carolina Hurricanes face the Arizona Coyotes with both teams heading in opposite directions this season. The Hurricanes have a 39-12-8 record and with seven wins in their last 10 games are in first place in the Metropolitan Division, and they've added some players at the trade deadline as a result. The Coyotes have a 21-31-9 record and are near the bottom of the Western Conference, they traded away most of their reliable players at the trade deadline. Both teams look to finish the season strong and the upcoming game looks to be a good one.

Hurricanes have been led great defense

The Hurricanes are having a great season with their offense stepping up and scoring 3.34 goals per game. Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Martin Necas have scored 70 goals and 86 assists to lead the top two lines but the rest of the offense has also been great. Seth Jarvis, Jordan Staal, and Teuvo Teravainen have combined for 36 goals and 53 assists while defensemen Brent Burns and Brady Skjei have added 23 goals and 47 assists from the point to open up the offense.

The offense has been great but the defense has carried the Hurricanes, allowing only 2.58 goals per game with only 12 goals in their last seven games. Burns and Skjei have combined for 7.8 defensive point shares and 116 blocked shots while Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce have combined for 7.5 defensive point shares to add depth to the unit along with trade deadline addition Shayne Gostisbehere. The hope is that goaltender Frederik Andersen can improve as he has a .903 save percentage and a 2.50 goals-against average on 524 shots with -1.4 goals saved above average.

Coyotes defense has been awful this year

The Coyotes are having a rough season with their offense struggling, scoring only 2.67 goals per game with only two goals in their recent game. Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz have combined for 43 goals and 58 assists but the rest of the offense has struggled. Moreover, with the Coyotes trading away multiple reliable skaters at the trade deadline, the offense looks to only worsen as the season goes along.

The offense has struggled but the defense has let the Coyotes down, allowing 3.49 goals per game with 17 goals in the last four games. Troy Stecher and Patrik Nemeth have combined for 3.9 defensive point shares but the rest of the unit has struggled and without Shayne Gostibehere and Jakob Chychrun, the unit looks poised to continue to allow teams to find open shots on the net at will. In addition, goaltender Karel Vejmelka has had a rough season with a .904 save percentage and a 3.32 goals-against average on 1381 shots with -2.2 goals saved above average.

Best Bets for this Game

Full-Game Side Bet

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The Hurricanes are having a great season and I see them stepping up and taking advantage of a struggling and depleted Coyotes team. The Hurricanes, who average 3.34 goals per game, should constantly find the back of the net against a Coyotes defense that allows 3.49 goals per game with Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and the rest of the forward unit controlling the puck in the offensive zone and creating open shots with cross-ice passes and effective puck movement. The Hurricanes, who allow only 2.58 goals per game, should limit the Coyotes' offense, which averages only 2.67 goals per game, with Brent Burns, Brady Skjei, and the rest of the forward unit creating turnovers in the defensive zone and limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Frederik Andersen to make plenty of big saves. The Hurricanes should win the game and cover the spread in a dominant win on the road.

Prediction: Hurricanes -1.5 (-120)

Full-Game Total Pick

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The Hurricanes have been led by their defense and I see both defensive units stepping up and making this game a low-scoring one. The Coyotes should limit the Hurricanes' offense with Troy Stecher, Patrik Nemeth, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers at the blue line and limiting the shots on the net, allowing goaltender Karel Vejmelka to make plenty of big saves. The Hurricanes, who have only allowed 12 goals in their last seven games, should eliminate and potentially shut out the Coyotes, who scored only two goals in their last game, with Brent Burns, Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, and the rest of the defensive unit forcing turnovers in the neutral zone and defensive zone alike while goaltender Frederik Andersen blanks the shots on the net. The Under should cover in a low-scoring game with both defenses stepping up.

Take the Under on 6 goals.

Prediction: Under 6

Mike Fink is a sports writer and a passionate football fan. After graduating from college, Fink picked up the passion he had since being a young child in following and covering all things sports and we are very excited to have him as a part of the StatSalt team. In recent weeks, Mike started a podcast which you can find on Spotify, called "The Mike and Grover Show" and it discusses all things football. He covers all forms of sports betting and also bets on all of the plays he gives out. Mike would advise hockey betting since the odds give you great payouts "Hockey is built to bet the Money Line Underdogs. Be sure and follow him on a daily basis.