In the NHL, there are always surprises. The Arizona Coyotes (12-16-5) proved this on Tuesday night as finished with a commanding 6-3 victory over the hot Colorado Avalanche (20-12-2). This was a huge upset, as the Avs were coming into the game with a four-game winning streak. Lawson Crouse was the star of the game, scoring one goal and assisting two others.

“Right from the drop of puck, it seemed like we were ready to go,” Crouse said.

“It was obviously nice to get an early lead and then continue to get leads. It makes hockey a lot more fun and a lot easier, for sure.”

Coyotes With a Surprising Dominance

The Arizona Coyotes faced off against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night and, despite the daunting matchup, came away with a win. Jakob Chychrun had three assists, Nick Schmaltz scored a goal and an assist and Michael Carcone scored in his season debut for the Coyotes. To round out their performance, Connor Ingram made 28 saves to earn the victory – his second of the season.

The Avalanche fought back fiercely, with Cale Makar scoring a goal and an assist and Mikko Rantanen nabbing a score in his third consecutive game. J.T. Compher contributed two assists as well, but Alexandar Georgiev’s 27 saves weren’t enough to keep the Coyotes at bay. This is the Coyotes’ third straight win over the Avalanche – their longest streak since winning four games in a row from Jan. 16, 2012-April 6 2013.

Avs Need a Rest

Coming into their matchup with Arizona, the Colorado Avalanche were on a hot streak after winning four straight games. However, due to having to adjust plans quickly and fly out to Arizona less than 12 hours before the puck drop, it was always expected to be a tough act for them.

Despite this roadblock, Rantanen continued his impressive scoring streak while Rodrigues provided an excellent scoring surprise in his first year in burgundy and blue. Since his return from injury, he has scored two goals and netted one more on Tuesday.

Moving forward, it’s clear that the Avs have what it takes to rise above any traps thrown their way. December has given us no shortage of Avs excitement and entertainment, despite the string of difficult opponents.

Coming into Tuesday night’s game, their 7-5-1 record has been enough to contribute to the team’s fourth-best win percentage since the relocation from Quebec – an impressive benchmark to achieve in the month that sees the most hockey action. With just two more games to be played before 2021 ends, it will be interesting to see where the Avs land in the standings when all is said and done.

Up Next for the Coyotes

With a 22-7-6 record, the Toronto Maple Leafs are ready to hit the road and take on the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday. The odds per BetMGM sportsbook have been set in Toronto’s favor at -275 while the Coyotes come in as underdogs with +220 betting odds. As indicated by the 6 over/under set for this matchup, both teams promise an exciting battle that could be decided by a single goal.

In their previous game, the Maple Leafs earned a hard-fought OT victory over St. Louis with 5 goals to their credit, despite only shooting 37 times on the net. With 8 penalty minutes, they had some discipline issues to deal with but ultimately managed to come out on top.

For anyone looking for some competitive hockey betting and action this Thursday evening, this matchup promises not to disappoint as two strong teams take center stage at ASU Multi-Purpose Arena. Arizona online sportsbooks are easily accessible, while retail locations are available for those who want in-person betting.