Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Winnipeg Jets Prediction, NHL Odds
The top two teams in the North Division are set to meet on Wednesday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs head to Winnipeg to start a two-game set against the Jets. The Leafs just split a two-game home set against Edmonton with both games ending in overtime. Winnipeg is back home after picking up four wins on their seven-game road trip.
Toronto is a -140 favourite to win on the NHL odds with a total of 6.5.
Maple Leafs vs. Jets Betting Analysis
This has been a tight season series and early bettors are fairly split on which team to favour. Each team has two wins and three of the four games they have played were decided by two goals or less. Winnipeg took the most recent meeting, a 5-2 decision in Toronto on March 13.
Toronto has been pretty comfortable on the road this year. They’ve won 10 of 15 games outside of the Six, but keep in mind they’ve only covered the spread in five of those games. The Leafs have hit the Over in six of their last nine games overall and seven of their last eight games in Winnipeg.
The Jets have been solid at Bell MTS Place. They’ve won 10 of 16 home games and covered in 12 of those games. Winnipeg has won four of their last five games and has hit the Over in 10 of their last 15.
Toronto Maple Leafs
After Auston Matthews buried the OT winner in Toronto’s 4-3 win over the Oilers on Saturday, the Leafs were paid back with a 3-2 OT loss to Edmonton on Monday. Each of Toronto’s last three games has gone to extra time. Matthews had a goal in both Edmonton games, breaking a stretch of five goalless games. The Toronto sniper leads the NHL with 23 goals and has put up five points in four games against Winnipeg this season.
The Leafs’ stretch of tight games is likely a symptom of their goaltending injuries. No. 1 netminder Frederik Andersen is out for the foreseeable future with a lower-body injury. Backup Jack Campbell has been in and out of the lineup and is also dealing with a lower-body injury, although he is expected to get the start on Wednesday. Campbell is essentially the best backup in the league with a perfect 6-0-0 record. He has an incredible 1.48 goals-against average and .945 save percentage, both No. 1 among goalies with at least six games played. Until Andersen is healthy, Michael Hutchinson will help Campbell carry some of the load. Hutchinson is 3-2-1 with a 2.49 GAA and .915 SV.
Winnipeg Jets
Only trailing the Leafs by one point, this is Winnipeg’s chance to overtake the North Division lead. They’re coming off a fairly successful road trip that ended with a 5-1 win in Calgary on Monday. Mark Scheifele (2G, 1A) and Nikolaj Ehlers (3A) both had three-point nights. Andrew Copp, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Nate Thompson all picked up goals. Scheifele leads the team with 43 points (15G, 28A) and sits fifth in league scoring. He has 15 points in the month of March and three points in four games against Toronto this year.
Connor Hellebuyck should get the start in net for this one. Last year’s Vezina Trophy winner is a workhorse and has logged a 17-9-2 record this year with a 2.57 GAA and .915 SV. The only issue, however, is that he seems to struggle against the Leafs’ high-powered offence. Hellebuyck has started three of the games against Toronto this year, going 1-1-1 and posting a 3.01 GAA. With six more games against the Leafs this year, Hellebuyck will need to be in top form if the Jets are to have a shot at the North Division crown.
TOR
WIN