Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Vegas Golden Knights Prediction, NHL Odds
The Vegas Golden Knights look to extend their season-high win streak to six games on Thursday when they host the Toronto Maple Leafs.
After opening a Western Conference road trip with an impressive win over the Colorado Avalanche, the Leafs took a 6-1 pounding in Seattle on Tuesday, ending their win streak at four, a season high.
Vegas is back home for the second half of a back-to-back and comes in as -135 favourites to win on NHL odds. The OVER/UNDER is set at an even 6.0 goals, with puck drop from T-Mobile Arena set for 9:30 p.m. EST.
Maple Leafs vs. Golden Knights NHL Betting Odds
The Leafs and Golden Knights have had a similar story this season; both teams came in as Stanley Cup favourites, but started the year slowly and are finally starting to hit their stride. The sluggish start has led them to struggle against the spread, with Vegas covering just 15 times (lowest in the NHL) and Toronto only 20.
This will be the first of two meetings this season between these squads. They have split the two-game set in the past two seasons and played the OVER in three of those four games.
After being held to a single goal on Tuesday, the Leafs’ offence has slipped out of the league’s top five. They have hit the OVER 25 times this season, which puts them near the top in that category, which can be attributed to having the ninth-worst goals-against per game in the NHL.
The OVER has been a trend for Vegas over their past 10 games, going 6-2-2 on the O/U, bumping their record in that column to 21-18-6 on the year. Of their 22 home games this season, Vegas has only lost six times in regulation, taking on a Leafs team that has won just seven of their 20 games on the road.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Leafs fans were on top of the world after seeing their team take down a juggernaut on Monday night in the Colorado Avalanche in their own barn. Their confidence took a hit on Tuesday when they rolled into Utah for the second of a back-to-back and got stomped 6-1 by the Mammoth.
Utah went up by one in the first period, before the floodgates opened in the second, scoring three unanswered to get up 4-0 after two. Calle Jarnkrok (sixth) scored the Leafs’ lone goal early in the third, before giving up two more for the 6-1 final. Utah over doubled Toronto’s shot volume, 41-20, in a completely dominant performance.
Dennis Hildeby was in goal for the Leafs in that one, giving up six for the second time this season. Expect Joseph Woll back between the pipes for the final two games of Toronto’s four-game trip.
Toronto currently sits just a point out of a wild card spot in the East, trailing fellow Atlantic Division foes the Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres.
Vegas Golden Knights
The Golden Knights increased their win streak to five and point streak to six last night with a 3-2 overtime win over their divisional rival, the Los Angeles Kings. This is the best stretch of hockey the Knights have put together all season, as the top seed in the Pacific Division has struggled with consistency.
Vegas held the lead through most of regulation, but the Kings were not going away, tying the game with 1:27 to go in the third to send the game to extra time. Veteran Mark Stone wanted to get back home as soon as possible, though, scoring just 25 seconds into overtime to secure the win. Jack Eichel had a huge night, putting up three assists and extending his point streak to six games.
Eichel leads the team with 51 points (16G, 35A) in 38 games and would have been a Hart Trophy candidate had he not missed seven games with injury.
Knights’ goalies Adin Hill and Carter Hart are out with injury, but are close to a return, making the team rely on a tandem of Akira Schmid and Carl Lindbom. Schmid was in goal versus the Kings, so expect Lindbom tonight.
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VEG