Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Ottawa Senators Prediction, NHL Odds
The Sens have rebounded from a recent three-game slide that has put head coach DJ Smith’s job at risk with consecutive decisive wins over Seattle and New York, and now sit just one point back of Columbus in the conference standings. The Maple Leafs have been idle since dropping a 4-3 decision to Boston on Saturday night, and arrive in Ottawa in search of just their third win in seven road contests.
The Maple Leafs are -130 road favourites on the Thursday NHL odds, and a +180 puckline bet. The Senators are +105 underdogs in their bid to snap a three-game home losing streak against the Leafs, while lofty -135 odds favour the total going OVER 6.5.
Maple Leafs vs. Senators NHL Betting Odds
The Senators rolled to a 6-3 victory in their first of four dates with the Leafs this season, on November 8 at Scotiabank Arena. However, the Leafs have had their number in recent clashes in Ottawa, outscoring the Sens by a 13-8 overall margin in three straight wins. However, the Maple Leafs have regularly come up short away from home, losing four of six, with each of those four defeats coming by just a single goal.
While the Sens are currently dead last in the East, they are showing signs of a turnaround during their current 2-0-0 run, capped by lopsided 6-2 win over Eastern Conference-leading Rangers. Currently sporting an 8-7-0 home record, Ottawa also enjoys the benefit of holding seven games in hand on the Blue Jackets and six games in hand on Buffalo, which sits just two points ahead in the Atlantic Division standings.
Toronto Maple Leafs
For the third time in as many games, regulation time solved nothing for the Leafs in Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Bruins. Overall, Toronto has seen eight of its past nine games settled by just a single goal, with and seven of its past 11 games go to Overtime or a shootout.
While goals have come at a premium during their current hard-fought run, with Leafs shooters scoring more than three goals just twice in seven games, Auston Matthews has broken out of his recent scoring slump with four points over the past two games including a pair of goal in Saturday’s loss. However, Matthews has failed to bulge the twine in six straight dates with the Senators, a run that has contributed to his rather lengthy +145 odds on the NHL player props of enjoying a third straight multi-point night on Thursday.
Ottawa Senators
After getting lit up for 14 total goals in a preceding three-game losing streak, the Senators have hunkered down on defence, limiting opponents to just two total goals during their two-game surge. Ottawa has helped its own cause with fast starts, scoring five total first-period goals over its past three games.
Brady Tkachuk and Vladimir Tarasenko have played in big roles in the Sens’ recent resurgence. Tkachuk potted a pair of goals in Tuesday’s win over the Rangers, and has now recorded a point per game over his past eight outings including a trio of multi-point performances. Tarasenko picked up three points in Tuesday’s win and has recorded four points in four games after going pointless in five of his previous six outings. And is worth backing as a +115 bet to record OVER 2.5 shots on goal for the fourth time in six outings.
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