Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New York Islanders Prediction, NHL Odds
Two teams mired in discouraging late-season losing streaks clash on Thursday night, as the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the New York Islanders in NHL betting action at UBS Arena.
The Maple Leafs travel to Long Island after being humbled in a 4-0 loss to the visiting Washington Capitals on Wednesday night that extends their current slide to four games.
The Islanders will welcome newly hired head coach Peter DeBoer behind the bench on Thursday, as the club looks to snap a four-game losing streak that has bounced them from the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.
The maple Leafs arrive in the Bay Area pegged as slim +100 road underdogs on Thursday’s NHL odds while the Sharks are listed as -120 favourites. The total is set at 6.5.
Maple Leafs vs. Islanders NHL Betting Odds
The Islanders took the first two meetings of the season with Toronto, including a 4-3 home victory on January 3, and have now topped the Maple Leafs in seven of nine dates January 2023.
The Isles have limited the Leafs to just 2.33 goals per game in their past nine matchups and have not surrendered more than three goals in a game over that stretch, but have still seen five of their past eight clashes with Toronto get settled by just a single goal.
Peter DeBoer takes over the Islanders coaching reins following the dismal of Patrick Roy in the wake of last Saturday’s 4-3 loss in Carolina, and faces the daunting task of kickstarting a club that now sits three points out of a wild card spot with just four games remaining.
Overall, the Islanders have been outscored by a combines 20-10 margin during their current three-game slide including a pair of home defeats in which they surrendered 12 total goals.
Already out of playoff contention, the Leafs limp into UBS Arena after getting lit up for five goals per game while losing their past three, and have surrendered 5+ goals in seven of 11 this season when playing in the back half of back-to-back contests.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Leafs’ struggles to find the target continued in Wednesday’s loss to the Capitals, generating just 22 shots on goal, and have now averaged just 20.7 shots per game during their three-game swoon.
The club has also seen their injury woes persist with the loss of goaltender Anthony Stolarz. That opens the door for Russian backstop Artur Akhtyamov to make his first NHL start of the season on Thursday night. Akhtyamov earned the promotion after a steady second season with the AHL Toronto Marlies, compiling a 20-12-4 record with a 2.90 goals against average, .903 save percentage, and one shutout.
Wednesday’s shutout loss snapped John Tavares’ three-game point streak in which he scored four goals and added three assists. William Nylander also saw a three-game points streak halted, but has racked up nine points over his past five road outings.
New York Islanders
Like the Leafs, the Islanders have also struggled to generate shots, mustering just shots on goal in Patrick Roy’s final appearance behind the bench versus the Hurricanes.
The club’s two biggest goalscorers have also been very quiet down the stretch. Team leader Bo Horvat has failed to bulge the twine in five games, and has found the mark just twice in 13 games, leaving him stalled at 30 goals on the season.
Rearguard Matthew Schaefer has remained productive as a setup man, picking up 13 assists in 18 games including five in his past four home appearances, but has failed to score in eight straight contests.
