Edmonton Oilers’ Top 10 Games in Arizona Against Coyotes

On Sept. 21, 1996, the Coyotes were defeated 3-1 by Edmonton in a preseason contest at America West Arena (now known as Footprint Center). The Coyotes were making their new home debut, following relocation from Winnipeg where they had previously operated as the Winnipeg Jets.

Over the 28 years since then, the Oilers have played 51 regular season contests in metro Phoenix. Edmonton has won 25 times, the Coyotes have won 25 times, and one game ended in a tie.

With so many Albertans either wintering or vacationing around Phoenix during hockey season, Edmonton’s NHL team has always had tremendous fan support on every trip to the desert. So as the Oilers prepare to play one last time in Arizona, here is a look back at their top road games against the “Desert Dogs”.

Oct. 14, 1996: Oilers 6, Coyotes 3

Edmonton’s first regular season game in Phoenix also proved to be the first regular season loss at America West Arena for the Coyotes, who came into the game with a 2-0-0 home record. Centre Jason Arnott led the way for the Oilers with two goals and four points, both of which remain tied for the most an Oilers player has ever had in a game at Arizona.

Edmonton never trailed and broke open a 2-2 tie over the final eight minutes of the third period, when it scored three straight goals, including back-to-back tallies from Dean McAmmond.

Jan. 7, 1999: Oilers 7, Coyotes 1

Edmonton’s six-goal margin tied for its biggest victory against the Coyotes and second biggest against the franchise dating back to its seasons in Winnipeg. Despite playing without injured captain and top playmaker Doug Weight, the Oilers erupted for their most goals in a road game of the 1998-99 season, scoring four times in the third period alone.

Edmonton’s Georges Laraque scored goals 102 seconds apart, and McAmmond had another big night at America West Arena, with a goal and two assists. Oilers goaltender Bob Essensa, who at that point was the all-time Jets/Coyotes franchise leader in wins and shutouts, stopped 44 of 45 shots.

Jan. 1, 2000: Oilers 5, Coyotes 4

On the first night of the new millennium, Edmonton started off the 21^st century with an exciting comeback victory at America West Arena.

After trailing 4-2 midway through the game, Edmonton closed the game with three unanswered goals, the last two coming in the final five minutes of the third period. Weight’s second goal of the contest, with just 64 seconds remaining, proved to be the game-winner.

Oilers forward Pat Falloon assisted on both goals by Weight. Essensa, who had signed with the Coyotes as a free agent during the 1999 offseason, took the loss against his former team.

Nov. 13, 2001: Oilers 5, Coyotes 4 (OT)

Ryan Smyth equalled Arnott’s franchise record for goals and points in a game at Arizona, as he scored twice and added two assists to lead the Oilers to an overtime triumph at America West Arena.

Despite leading by two goals on two occasions, Edmonton couldn’t put away the Coyotes, and the home team forced sudden death when Daniel Briere scored with just 17 seconds remaining in the third period.

As it turned out, that only set the stage for heroics from Smyth, who scored on the power-play at 2:51 of overtime. Mike Comrie helped set up the overtime goal to record one of his three assists in the game, which is still tied for most ever by an Oilers player in a game at Arizona.

Dec. 12, 2003: Oilers 3, Coyotes 3

For the only time in their 50-plus meetings in metro Phoenix, the Oilers and Coyotes played to a tie. Following the 2003-04 season, the NHL eliminated ties by instituting a shootout for games that remained deadlocked after overtime.

Oilers forward Radek Dvorak scored on the power play with 7:46 remaining in regulation to tie things up at 3-3. The Coyotes had retaken the lead less than two minutes earlier on a goal by the first career goal for Fredrik Sjöström.

Goaltender Sean Burke had a tremendous game for the Coyotes, who were doubled by Edmonton in shots on goal, 42-21. This was the Coyotes’ second last game at America West Arena, before moving into their new digs, Glendale Arena (now known as Desert Diamond Arena), just after Christmas 2003.

Feb. 27, 2004: Oilers 7, Coyotes 2

Edmonton’s first visit to Glendale was also its most prolific performance at the new arena which would serve as the Coyotes’ home for the next 18 years.

The game was tied 1-1, when Edmonton forward Fernando Pisani scored on the power-play at 9:50 of the second period, setting off an explosion of five goals for the visiting team in a span of just 5:38. There are only three other games in Edmonton’s NHL history that the Oilers have scored five goals in a span of less than six minutes.

Ethan Moreau had three points for the Oilers, and scored consecutive goals separated by just 99 seconds, at 13:59 and 15:28 of the middle frame.

Jan. 29, 2006: Oilers 4, Coyotes 3 (SO)

Twice in just over a week, the Oilers and Coyotes went to a shootout at Glendale Arena after being knotted up 3-3 at the end of OT. The first time, Jan. 21, 2006, the Coyotes prevailed. Eight days later, the Oilers got their revenge, but not without first scoring the latest game-tying goal in franchise history.

Edmonton trailed 3-2 with just 2.2 seconds remaining in regulation, when Oilers centre Marty Reasoner won a face-off in the Coyotes zone and Pisani flicked the puck back to defenceman Chris Pronger who ripped a one-timer past netminder Curtis Joseph with only 0.3 seconds left.

“It’s a one-in-a-million play,” Oilers coach Craig MacTavish said following the game. “I have never seen it. In 25 years of hockey I have never seen anything like it.”

After five minutes of sudden death solved nothing, Dvorak and Ales Hemsky each beat Joseph in the shootout, which went to six rounds before Edmonton prevailed.

March 16, 2019: Oilers 3, Coyotes 2 (OT)

Connor McDavid needed less than a minute of three-on-three hockey before scoring his second goal of the game, with the assist going to defenceman Oscar Klefbom, just 58 seconds into overtime.

Edmonton held leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the first and second periods, respectively, but Arizona’s Alex Galchenyuk replied with a tying goal for the Coyotes both times. McDavid factored in on all of Edmonton’s scoring, as the Oilers captain also assisted on a goal by blueliner Matt Benning.

Nov. 24, 2021: Oilers 5, Coyotes 3

Edmonton picked up the win as it returned to Glendale for the first time in two seasons, following 2020-21 when Canadian teams did not play games outside their country’s borders because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

McDavid and Leon Draisaitl each had two goals and two assists, the only time two Oilers players have had more than three points in the same game at Arizona. Zack Kassian scored Edmonton’s other goal and also picked up an assist.

The Oilers had built up a 4-1 lead late in the third period, but the Coyotes scored at 13:43 and 15:06 to make things tense for Edmonton before McDavid put things away with an empty net goal in the final minute.

March 27, 2023: Oilers 5, Coyotes 4

Edmonton’s first time playing at the 4,600-seat Mullett Arena, the smallest venue in the NHL by more than 10,000 seats, probably felt like a home game for the visiting team, with Oilers fans making up a significant (and noisiest) portion of the few 1,000 fans in attendance.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins broke a 4-4 tie with a power-play goal at 12:05 of the third period. The Oilers forward also recorded an assist in the game, while his teammates Evan Bouchard and Draisaitl had one goal and one assist each as well.

McDavid recorded an assist for his 140^th point of 2022-23, making him the first player to reach that threshold in an NHL season since 1995-96. The Oilers centre would finish the season with 153 points.

While tonight’s game at Mullett Arena is inconsequential for both clubs — the Coyotes have long since been eliminated from playoff contention and the Oilers are now locked into second place in the Pacific Division thanks to the Vancouver Canucks’ division-clinching 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday (April 16) – it promises to be an emotional affair, as Arizona fans say goodbye to their beloved team.

This is Edmonton’s second visit to Tempe this season, the first being a 6-3 win on Feb. 19. Following their last dance with the Desert Dogs, the Oilers will head to Denver where they close out the season with a game against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday (April 18).