Maple Leafs vs. Devils Prediction: NHL Betting Odds
One could perhaps excuse the Maple Leafs players for looking past this game a bit. Why? They play seven of their next eight at home, and it’s always easy for players to be sluggish at the end of a long trip and before a long stretch at home.
Maple Leafs vs Devils Betting Analysis
It’s the second of three meetings between these teams. On Jan. 10, they close the season series back in New Jersey. On Nov. 9, Toronto routed the visiting Devils 6-1. A four-goal second period blew it open. Six different players scored for Toronto: John Tavares, Nazem Kadri, Connor Brown, Andreas Johnsson, Morgan Rielly and Tyler Ennis. All were at even strength. Toronto won despite being outshot 39-32, outhit 39-23 and with 22 giveaways to just nine for the Devils. The Leafs dominated in the faceoff circle in winning 60.3 per cent. Keith Kinkaid was in net for New Jersey and Frederik Anderson for Toronto.
In his career, Andersen is 5-2-0 against the Devils with a 1.85 goals-against average, .943 save percentage and one shutout.
Toronto is 5-9 in New Jersey this decade and lost its lone meeting there last season 2-1. That victory clinched a playoff spot for the Devils. The home team is 14-3 in the past 17 meetings.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs had a lost weekend in Sunshine State, losing 4-1 Thursday night at Tampa Bay and then Saturday 4-3 in overtime at Florida. Aleksander Barkov’s 14th goal of the season at 3:24 of OT was the winner and completed his first career hat trick. The Leafs were down 2-0 entering the third. Tavares scored his 20th of the year and Mitch Marner his seventh and eighth – tying it at 18:20 of regulation. He had gone 13 games without a goal. Florida entered on a four-game skid. Toronto’s Zach Hyman returned after serving a two-game suspension. He was scoreless in 16:33. For the first time this season, the Leafs have lost four out of five games.
New Jersey Devils
New Jersey is off a 2-1 shootout loss at Nashville on Saturday. Ryan Johansen beat Kinkaid for the winner in the sixth round of the shootout. Before that, Johansen had converted just one of nine shootout attempts in his four seasons with the Predators. Brian Boyle had the lone New Jersey goal at 18:29 of the third with the Devils’ net empty. Last season’s Hart Trophy winner was the Devils’ Taylor Hall, but he has missed the past two games with a lower-body injury. The Calgary native leads the team with 31 points but has just eight goals after a career-high 39 last season.
