Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Boston Bruins Prediction, NHL Odds
The Toronto maple Leafs look to avoid losing three in a row for the second time this season when they visit the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night in NHL betting action at TD Garden.
The Leafs were swept in a pair of home games this past weekend, falling 5-3 to the Bruins on Saturday night before dropping a 5-4 decision to Carolina on Sunday, and now sit just three points up on last-place Buffalo in the Atlantic Division standings.
The Bruins return home from Saturday’s victory riding a six-game win streak and have surrendered just 10 total goals while tallying five straight wins on home ice.
Despite their current woes, the Maple Leafs arrive in Beantown perched as -135 favourites on the Tuesday NHL odds. The Bruins trail as +115 underdogs and the total is pegged at 6.5.
Maple Leafs vs. Bruins NHL Betting Odds
The Leafs have struggled to find consistency in the early going of the NHL season, and have not been helped by porous defence and goaltending that has saddled them with a 3.75 goals against average, second worst in the NHL. The club has surrendered at least five goals in five of their past 10 games, erasing the benefit of a potent offence that has potted four goals per game over their past eight outings.
But with the Maple Leafs regularly engaging in high-scoring contests, the OVER has paid out in NHL totals betting in 11 straight contests and 14 of their first 16 games overall including all four of their road outings to date. The road has provided little respite for this slumping squad, which has lost outright in two of three outings as road chalk, and four of seven since mid-March.
With Saturday’s win, the Bruins snapped a three-game head-to-head losing streak in regular season action, but have still held the edge in recent visits from the Leafs, winning five of six while giving up just 2.50 goals per game.
That stinginess extends to their current 6-0-0 run, during which they have surrendered an average of just 2.33 goals. That marks a big turnaround after allowing 4.63 goals per game during a brutal 1-7-0 run early in the campaign.
Toronto Maple Leafs
After getting lit up for four goals on just 19 shots before getting pulled in Saturday’s loss, Anthony Stolarz enjoyed a rare night off on Sunday. However, rookie netminder Dennis Hildeby fared no better, giving up all five goals in a 5-4 loss to the Hurricanes while facing 47 shots. Stolarz is expected to be back between the pipes on Tuesday, and while it is easy to criticize the 31-year-old, there is plenty of blame for to go around for this club’s dismal start.
Fortunately, the Leafs are receiving solid offensive contributions from some of their biggest stars. William Nylander potted a pair of goals on Sunday, extending his current points streak to 10 games including six multi-point performances that make him worth backing as a +160 bet on the NHL player props to pick up OVERE 1.5 points on Tuesday. John Tavares has scored in each of the past three games and added two helpers, and Matthew Knies has recorded 12 points while cracking the scoresheet in seven of eight outings.
Boston Bruins
While the Leafs have struggled to keep the puck out of the net, stingy defence has been key to the Bruins’ turnaround. The club has seen four of their six recent wins come by just one goal and needed overtime or a shootout to seal the win on three occasions over that stretch.
Morgan Geekie has emerged as a big contributor, scoring nine goals in his past 10 outings and has bulged the twine at least once in each of his past seven home appearances. David Pastrnak snapped a three-game goal scoring drought by potting the game-winner in Saturday’s victory, but has picked up just two total points in four games after turning in two-point performances in five of his previous seven outings.
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