ARIZONA vs PITTSBURGH NHL Odds, Pick & Preview

The ARIZONA and the PITTSBURGH will both be gunning for a victory on 11/10/2018 at 7:05 PM when they meet in a game matchup.

ARIZONA COYOTES vs PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Saturday, November 10, 2018
Where: PPG PAINTS Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: PITTSBURGH , ARIZONA

Oddsmakers currently have the ARIZONA listed as 175-moneyline favorites versus the PITTSBURGH, while the game’s total is sitting at 6.

Change is the operative word in the Steel City as the Pittsburgh Penguins must alter their recent fortunes — and quickly — with general manager Jim Rutherford promising to do the same to the roster if they don’t. Mired in their longest losing skid in three years, the Penguins hope to avert a sixth straight setback on Saturday when they host the Arizona Coyotes.

“What I’m seeing I don’t like,” Rutherford said during his scathing assessment of the team on his bi-weekly radio show on 105.9 FM. “Nobody likes it. We’re trying to figure out what’s gone wrong here. … Certainly if this continues, in short order, we’re going to have to make some changes.” Pittsburgh has mustered just seven goals during its five-game skid (0-4-1), with just two coming in the last three contests following Wednesday’s 2-1 setback in Washington. The Penguins’ opponent on Saturday answered its longest win streak (five games) since it was called the Phoenix Coyotes in 2013 by yielding 10 total goals in a home-and-home series loss to Philadelphia. Michael Grabner scored and set up a goal in Thursday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Flyers and carries a six-game point streak (four goals, four assists) into PPG Paints Arena.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Arizona-Plus, AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh

ABOUT THE COYOTES (7-6-1): Arizona’s opponents might want to consider against going on the power play, as the Coyotes became the second NHL team to record nine short-handed goals within its first 14 games of the season on Thursday. Derek Stepan converted a backhand shot on a breakaway for his second short-handed goal of the season and Grabner notched his third such tally just 24 seconds later. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who set up Grabner’s goal, had a power-play marker in the first period as part of a banner night for Arizona’s special teams.

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (6-5-3): Rutherford did not single out any one player during his recent radio interview, but noted that some Penguins appear a bit too comfortable in relying on captain Sidney Crosby, fellow former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and defenseman Kris Letang. “I’m sure he was upset like all of us,” Crosby said. “We don’t like being in this position. As players, our job is to go out there and play.” The 31-year-old Crosby scored a goal on Wednesday, marking his first point in four games this month after recording 10 (six goals, four assists) in his previous five contests.

OVERTIME

1. Malkin, who has recorded a point in 11 of 14 games against the Coyotes, scored two goals and set up three others in Pittsburgh’s two-game season sweep in 2017-18.

2. Coyotes C Clayton Keller is riding a six-game point streak (two goals, four assists) and has recorded an assist in four straight contests.

3. Pittsburgh, which has won five straight against Arizona, last lost five in a row on Dec. 11-19, 2015.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Coyotes 1

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