Maple Leafs vs. Golden Knights NHL Same-Game Parlay: How will Mitch Marner handle his former team?
After playing nine seasons for his hometown club, Mitch Marner is set to face his former team for the first time when the Vegas Golden Knights host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
As much as both teams will downplay the connection, you can bet Marner has had this game circled on his calendar. It will likely be a whirlwind week for Marner, who is also set to face the Leafs in Toronto next Friday.
While there’s a lot of motivation for Marner to perform on Thursday, I like the value you’re getting on the Leafs in this spot.
Here’s what I have for a three-leg parlay priced at +600:
- Maple Leafs moneyline
- Total Over 6.5
- Mitch Marner 2+ points
You can also check out our full game preview and score prediction here.
Maple Leafs moneyline
Toronto is playing the third of a tough four-game Western Conference road trip. After starting out with arguably their biggest win of the season, a 4-3 overtime victory against the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche on Monday, the Leafs were absolutely embarrassed in a 6-1 loss in Utah the next night.
Playing for the second night in a row, the loss against the Mammoth was always set up to be a trap game in my mind, especially after the high of beating the Avs in Denver. Toronto had a day to rest and regroup and they should be motivated to get back to the form that saw them win five of six games ahead of this road trip.
I also think this is a bit of a let-down game for Vegas. They just played in L.A. last night, winning 4-3 in overtime, so that’s a quick turnaround. And I don’t like their options in net. They won’t play Akira Schmid back-to-back nights, Carter Hart is out injured and Aidan Hill hasn’t played since Oct. 20 because of a lower-body injury.
While Hill is an option to return on Thursday, it’s still not a recipe for success to have a tired Golden Knights team playing in front of either Hill, who will be trying to get back to game shape, or fourth-string option Carl Lindbom.
Total Over 6.5
These teams generally combine for high scoring games as four of the last five head-to-heads have finished with seven or more total goals.
Both teams also rank top-10 in goals per game, with Toronto averaging 3.33 and Vegas putting up 3.24. Combine that with a Leafs defence that allows the ninth-most goals per game (3.22) and a Golden Knights squad with the third-worst team save percentage (.885) and you should see plenty of goals.
Mitch Marner 2+ points
I’m a sucker for revenge games. While I’m out on Vegas winning this game, I’m not out on Marner producing. It doesn’t get anymore personal than playing your hometown team that also essentially ran you out of town after nine seasons.
Marner has put up multiple points in three of his last five games and I think he’ll do everything in his power to perform against the Leafs. He knows better than anyone the noise that will surround him next week in Toronto if he has a bad game on Thursday.
