Red Wings vs Coyotes Picks – Experience pays off for Red Wings against Coyotes
The Story
What were the sportsbook odds that Phoenix would finish above Detroit in the standings at the end of the season? After almost leaving Phoenix, the Coyotes have been the biggest surprise in the league, and they’ve played the Red Wings tough with two wins in four games, and three of the four meetings have been decided by a single goal. However, those meetings came before the Olympic break, and when the NHL resumed, the Red Wings were arguably the best team in the West and have won eight of their last 10 heading into the playoffs. The Coyotes were up and down during the stretch run, and they’ll need to get back in rhythm quickly.
Who Has The Edge On Offense: Red Wings vs Coyotes?
These teams are essentially even as Detroit’s 229 goals is four more than Phoenix scored. The difference here could come on the power play, where the Red Wings are ninth in the league, while the Coyotes are 28th. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg have really come on for the Red Wings, but Johan Franzen has put up 19 points in 24 games since coming back from an ACL injury.
The Coyotes have gotten good production from Wojtek Wolski, who has scored 18 points in 18 games since coming from Colorado before the trade deadline, and that made up for the loss of Scottie Upshall, who was leading the team in points before an ACL tear ruined his season. Of course, they still have the solid leadership of captain Shane Doan, who leads the team in points.
Edge: Red WingsWho Has The Edge On Defense/Goaltending: Red Wings vs Coyotes?
The Coyotes gave up the fewest goals in the West, and Ilya Bryzgalov had the best season of his career with a 2.26 GAA and a .920 save percentage. He was solid against the Red Wings with a 2.96 GAA and a .908 save percentage, and in Adrian Aucoin, Ed Jovanovski and Derek Morris, the Coyotes have three good veteran defensemen. But, the pressure will be on Bryzgalov, who has a 1.68 GAA in 16 career playoff games.
Led by Nicklas Lidstrom, the Red Wings have one of the best defensive corps in the league, but the big question was: can Jimmy Howard handle the No.1 spot? Howard responded with a 2.26 GAA and a .924 save percentage. Now, will Howard be able to step up in the postseason? That’s why Phoenix has a slight edge here.
Edge: CoyotesWho Has The Edge In Experience?
This is the major reason while the Red Wings are NHL betting favorites in this series, as the Coyotes have never won a first-round series, and they haven’t been the playoffs since 2001-2002. Since then, the Red Wings have won two Stanley Cups, have won seven division titles, and have lost in the first round just twice. Not to mention, two straight trips to the Stanley Cup finals, and one win two years ago.
Edge: Red WingsWho Will Win The Red Wings vs Coyotes Series?
The Red Wings are -200 sports betting favorites in this series, and it doesn’t seem like that long ago that Detroit’s eulogy was being written. The Red Wings after the break is what we were used to seeing, and if Phoenix is going to have a chance in this series, they’re going to have to make their home-ice advantage count. The problem is that the Red Wings have won eight of their last 10 in Phoenix, and they’ll be able to steal one in the desert, which will propel them to the next round.
