Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: NHL Odds, Prediction
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Andrew Rogers
Matthews scored in his first game action in nearly a month as Toronto prevailed 5-2 in Nashville last time out, all but galvanizing a top-three spot in the Atlantic Division standings as a result.
Red Wings vs Maple Leafs Betting Analysis
The Maple Leafs are overwhelming favourites Saturday night as they look to build upon an impressive 25-8-2 home mark. Toronto also has a major upper hand entering this one, having won six of the previous seven head-to-head meetings. Both teams are also headed in opposite directions when it comes to playing on one day of rest, with Toronto having gone 9-2 in its last 11 in that situation and Detroit going 1-6 in its previous seven in that scenario.
From a totals perspective, the Maple Leafs are back to being a near-automatic over option, going above the total in in seven of their previous eight games overall while registering a 6-1 O/U mark in their last seven contests following a victory. Meanwhile, the Red Wings have posted 21 unders in their previous 30 games while going 7-19 O/U in their last 26 vs. the Atlantic Division. The teams have also gone under in 13 of their last 16 meetings.
Detroit Red Wings
To say the Red Wings are playing out the string is an understatement; Detroit comes into this one having dropped 11 of its previous 12 games, while producing two or fewer goals eight times during that stretch. The power play has been one of the team’s most significant weaknesses so far this month, converting on just 3-of-30 opportunities for a 10-percent success rate that ranks third-last in the league over that stretch, ahead of only Nashville and Calgary.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto offense is hitting its stride heading into the final few weeks of the regular season – and having Matthews back in the fold will only make things better. The Maple Leafs have scored at least three goals in seven consecutive games, going 5-1-1 over that stretch to remain in the hunt for top spot in the Atlantic – though they have plenty of work to do in that regard, trailing Tampa Bay by 11 points and Boston by five with just eight games remaining.
