Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds
Winners in their previous six home dates, the Maple Leafs opened their current three-game with consecutive defeats, capped by Thursday’s lopsided 5-1 loss to Seattle. The Red Wings have now lost two straight in the wake of Friday’s 3-2 loss to Florida, and have also claimed victory in just one of their past six road dates.
Backed by 85 per cent of sports bettors, the Maple Leafs have rocketed to heavy -359 home favourites on the Saturday NHL odds, while the Red Wings have tumbled to +294 underdogs. The total is unchanged since opening at 6.5. However, the OVER has emerged as slim -117 chalk.
Red Wings vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds
Saturday night’s matchup at Scotiabank Arena marks the second and four regular season meetings between these Atlantic Division rivals. The Maple Leafs posted a 4-2 win when they visited the Motor City on November 28, extending their current win streak in head-to-head play to eight games.
The total has reached 6.0 in six of the past eight meetings between these clubs. However, they have produced mixed results in totals betting, with the OVER going just 4-3-1 over that stretch. Saturday’s contest will mark the sixth time this season that the Red Wings have hit the ice for the second time in as many nights, and are winless in their past two when playing the back half of games played on consecutive nights, ending a 5-0-0 run.
Detroit Red Wings
While the Red Wings are winless in their past two outings, it has not been from lack of effort. The club’s shooters have been somewhat snake bitten during the team’s mini-swoon, tallying just three total goals in this week’s home losses to New Jersey and Florida despite outshooting their opponents by a combined margin of 64-47.
The Detroit attack particularly struggled against the Devils, who marched out to an early 5-0 lead and came within just two minutes of recording the shutout despite surrendering 40 shots on goal. However, maintaining that momentum on the road has been a real challenge, with the club mustering 20 or fewer shots four times during their current 1-3-2 run away from Little Caesars Arena.
The Red Wings would benefit from a big performance from goaltender Magnus Hellberg. Expected to get the start on Saturday, Hellberg has struggled with consistency of late. The Swedish backstop is coming off a solid 19-save performance in last weekend’s 4-2 win in Ottawa, but earned the loss in his two road starts to date while allowing eight total goals on just 55 shots.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs will be highly motivated to atone for their shaky performance against the Kraken in what amounted to their worst performance so far this season. Toronto failed to seize the momentum early in in Thursday’s contest despite limiting Seattle to just three shots in a scoreless first period, and then had no answer for the Kraken’s three-goal outburst in just over six minutes in the second period that sealed the win.
In addition to marking the first time they have lost consecutive home games in two months, Thursday’s defeat also marked the first time the club has trailed by four goals this season. Overall, the Leafs have now failed to score a goal at even strength over the past four periods, and just 2.5 per game over their past four outings. In addition, they have given up five power play goals and one shorthanded marker during their current 1-2-1 slide.
The club’s recent troubles have not impacted the performance of Auston Matthews, who has recorded five points over the past three games. He has now potted eight goals and eight helpers during a 12-game points streak on home ice.
DET
TOR