Maple Leafs vs. Bruins Game 2 Prediction: Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds
The Bruins opened as -135 favourites to win Game 2, with the total set at 5.5 on the NHL odds.
Maple Leafs vs. Bruins NHL Betting Odds
Boston has had Toronto’s number for a couple of years at this point as their win streak over the Leafs hit eight games with Saturday’s 5-1 victory. The B’s have outscored Toronto 20-8 combined in five total meetings between the teams this season/playoffs, holding the Leafs to a single goal in each of the last three games. And let’s not forget Boston has three straight Game 7 playoff victories over Toronto since the 2012-13 season.
The series odds have shifted significantly following Game 1. The Bruins were -120 to win the series prior to Game 1 and now enter Game 2 at -250, while the Leafs are +200 series underdogs. The favoured exact series result is Boston winning in five games at +333. A fourth straight Game 7 Bruins victory is +425.
For what it’s worth, the Bruins have a 38-20 series record all-time when taking a 1-0 lead in a best-of-seven series, including 29-13 when starting at home.
The futures’ board hasn’t moved much following Game 1, with Boston sitting at +1000 to win the Stanley Cup and +450 to win the Eastern Conference. Toronto is +2200 to win the Cup and +1100 to win the East.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Nothing seemed to go right for the Leafs in Game 1 as they outshot Boston 36-24, but trailed 4-0 after two periods. David Kampf eventually found the back of the net early in the third period while Auston Matthews, who led the NHL with 69 goals in the regular season, was held scoreless on five shots. William Nylander missed the game with an undisclosed injury and it’s unclear if he will be ready for Game 2. It’s a significant loss as Nylander was Toronto’s second-leading scorer in the regular season with 98 points (40G, 58A) and he’s been one of the Leafs’ most consistent playoff performers with 40 points (17G, 23A) in 50 career postseason games.
Ilya Samsonov, who made 19 saves in Game 1, didn’t cost Toronto on Saturday, but the Leafs will need more from him if they want to win the series. Over his last three starts, Samsonov has allowed 15 goals while posting an .800 save percentage. A Game 2 loss likely means Jospeh Woll gets the start in Game 3. The Leafs also need to be better on special teams after they finished 0-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-5 on the penalty kill in Game 1.
Boston Bruins
You couldn’t ask for a better start to the series for the Bruins, who led less than three minutes into Game 1 after John Beecher scored in his first career NHL playoff game. Brandon Carlo extended the lead early in the second period and Jake DeBrusk scored twice on the power play. Trent Frederic sealed the game with a late empty netter. Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy each had two assists, while David Pastrnak, who finished the regular season with 110 points (47G, 63A), had a single helper.
Despite a great performance in net from Jeremy Swayman, who made 35 saves on Saturday, the big question for Boston heading into Game 2 is, who will start in net? The Bruins have alternated starts between Swayman and Linus Ullmark all season and there’s belief they will continue with the strategy throughout the playoffs. There’s no wrong option as both goalies had nearly identical stats in the regular season. Swayman had a 25-10-8 record with a 2.53 goals-against average and .916 save percentage, while Ullmark was 22-10-7 with a 2.57 GAA and .915 SV.
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