By Dave Vest
The Coyotes will look to get back into the Western Conference playoff mix today when they play the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place. The puck drops at 5 p.m. (Arizona time).

Phoenix (35-26-11) will enter the game in 10th place in the conference standings but just one point behind eighth-place San Jose and two points behind Pacific Division leading Dallas. Both San Jose and Dallas are idle today.

► Click here to see the latest standings.

The Coyotes are 3-0-0 vs. the Oilers this season and have outscored them 11-5 in those games. They will be seeking a sweep of the season series today, and their fifth straight win over Edmonton overall.

Phoenix has posted a 2-5-2 record in March, including a humbling 4-1 loss to Calgary on Thursday night. The Coyotes are 1-1-0 halfway through a crucial four-game trip that ends Tuesday night at Dallas.

Goalie Mike Smith, who will start tonight, has posted a 1.67 goals-against average in three victories over the Oilers this season.

Points leader Ray Whitney, an Edmonton-area native who has five assists in the last three games, leads the team with five points versus the Oilers this season.

Photo by Getty Images

Leading goal scorer Radim Vrbata, who has missed the past two games because of illness, and center Martin Hanzal, who hasn't played since March 8 because of an upper-body injury, will be back in the lineup for this game.

Edmonton (28-36-7) will enter the game trying to win three consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 31-Feb. 4.

The Oilers are in 14th place in the conference standings and looking to play spoiler over their last 11 games.

Edmonton ranks third in the NHL in power-play efficiency at 21. 2 percent. Only the Winnipeg Jets have scored more power-play goals on home ice; Jets have 30, Oilers have 29.

Goalie Devan Dubnyk is 0-3-0 vs. Phoenix this season with a 3.42 goals-against average in those games.

Oilers defenseman Ladislav Smid ranks first on the team and fourth in the NHL with 168 blocked shots.