Oilers-Coyotes first round match-up 2018-04-17 Since day one, the oilers and yotes have appeared the be on a collision course for the first round. Arizona was the hottest team in the league to start the year, with the Oilers following closely behind. As the season progressed, Vancouver took the division lead, but it was clear that there were 3 teams in the division to keep on eye on. The season ended with all three teams over 100 points, and a competitive road to winning the division in the playoffs. The Oilers played the Coyotes in five close games this year, taking the season series narrowly 3-2(2-3, 3-2, 3-5, 6-4,4-2). When asked about the match up, GM Braithwaite told reporters "Holy shit, I can't believe Arizona is actually relevant." The keys to an Arizona victory are simple Take advantage of the young Oilers inexperience Don't let the Oilers sustain pressure Get the PP firing The Oilers had an incredible PK this season, and lucky it was that way because they spent too much time in the box near the end of the season. IF the Coyotes are to win this, they will need to score some goals on the powerplay and punish the oilers for their time spent in the box. The keys to an Oiler Victory Shut down Auston Matthews Use forward depth to sustain pressure Young players must find a second gear The Oilers have a very deep forward core, if they are to win they must use this depth to sustain pressure and get scoring from all lines. Fans believe that GM Braithwaite has put together a solid core of players, but the proof is in the pudding, and he has yet to win a single playoff series since taking over as GM more than 2 years ago. This is an opportunity to show the rest of the league that the Oilers are a competitive team that is ready to win a cup, and will remain that way for the foreseeable future
