(Sports Network) - Needing all the points they can get, the Edmonton Oilers will try to sweep their season series with the Phoenix Coyotes for a second straight year in tonight's battle at Jobing.com Arena.
The Oilers currently occupy the eighth spot in the Western Conference with 79 points, one back of seventh-seeded Anaheim and one ahead of both Nashville and Minnesota in the standings.
With the race so tight in the Western Conference, the Oilers will try to take advantage of a Coyotes club they outscored 22-10 in winning all four meetings last season. Edmonton hasn't slowed down versus Phoenix this season either, holding a 13-6 advantage on the scoreboard in the three 2008-09 meetings.
Overall, Edmonton has won 11 of its last 13 versus Phoenix, as well as four straight and five of its last six games played in Glendale.
Having had little trouble finding the back of the net versus the Coyotes this year, the Oilers hope a contest versus Phoenix will break them out of their current scoring skid. After netting 15 goals over a recent three-game win streak, Edmonton was shut out 3-0 by Minnesota on Sunday, two days before a 3-2 home loss to Detroit.
Edmonton goaltender Dwayne Roloson was perfect through 40 minutes against the Red Wings, but allowed three third-period goals while facing 44 shots total. Denis Grebeshkov and Ales Kotalik scored for the Oilers.
Roloson has posted a 2.00 goals against average in his three wins over the Coyotes this season and has won each of his last six starts against the club. Lifetime versus Phoenix, he is 12-8-0 with a pair of ties and 2.48 GAA.
Edmonton is 19-16-3 on the road this year and will visit Anaheim on Friday.
The Coyotes were last in action on Sunday versus Anaheim and dropped a 6-2 decision. That setback came one day after a 5-1 victory over Vancouver.
Ilya Bryzgalov allowed all six goals on 30 shots in the loss, the Coyotes' seventh in their last nine games. Shane Doan scored his team-best 28th goal, while Petr Prucha lit the lamp for the first time in 10 games with Phoenix since coming over in a trade with the New York Rangers.
The Coyotes bring a 19-14-3 home mark into this contest.