Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds
It’s the Columbus Day holiday in the USA and Thanksgiving Day in Canada on Monday, so there is plenty of matinee NHL action. That includes an Original Six matchup with the Red Wings visiting the Maple Leafs with a 2 p.m. ET puck drop. Toronto is -200 the NHL odds with a total of 6.5 goals.
Red Wings vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds
After just one NHL game on Sunday, it’s a 10-game slate Monday on the holiday(s) with a first game as early as 12:30 p.m. ET with Colorado visiting Buffalo. Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver are the Canadian clubs home on the holiday, while Winnipeg is at the New York Islanders.
It’s the second straight game the Leafs and Red Wings face off as on Saturday, Detroit was a 6-3 winner – after a very disappointing 5-1 loss in the home opener last Thursday vs. Montreal. Toronto led Saturday 2-0 after a period on goals from Calle Jarnkrok (second of year) and Nicolas Roy (first). The Wings stormed back with three in the third before Max Domi tied it back up a 3-3 early in the third on his first goal of the season.
But the Red Wings took back the lead on a Lucas Raymond power-play goal at 6:45, and the team added two empty netters. Raymond was the game’s No. 1 star with two goals. Future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane was the No. 2 with a goal and two assists, and Alex DeBrincat the No. 3 with three assists.
After Monday, the teams don’t play again until Dec. 28. Detroit’s final visit to Toronto is Jan. 21. The Maple Leafs won both home matchups last season on the way to taking the season series 3-1.
Detroit Red Wings
Do the Wings have an early goalie controversy? The team traded for veteran netminder John Gibson in the off-season with the expectation he would be the No. 1, but Gibson allowed five goals in his regular-season Wings debut last week vs. Montreal and was pulled for fellow veteran Cam Talbot. The Caledonia native Talbot started Saturday’s win against the Leafs and stopped 20 shots.
Early projections have Detroit coach Todd McLellan going back to Gibson for this one, but that’s not set in stone. In 11 career appearances vs. Toronto, Gibson is 3-5-2 with a 3.33 goals-against average and .905 save per centage.
Patrick Kane (1G, 3A) leads the club with four points, and rising star Lucas Raymond does with two goals. The 23-year-old got career goal No. 100 in Saturday’s win. Detroit is pretty healthy. The over is 5-1 in the Red Wings’ past six overall.
Toronto Maple Leafs
“I think we beat ourselves,” Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube said of Saturday’s defeat. “Detroit played well, but we had the early lead and didn’t play the second period the way we should.”
Nicolas Roy had a goal and an assist in the defeat while Morgan Rielly had two assists – he and William Nylander are now tied for the team lead with four points on the season.
Anthony Stolarz had 29 saves and is projected to start in net again Monday. He won his lone home start so far last Wednesday, allowing two goals to the Canadiens. Stolarz also had much better home numbers last season with a 1.86 GAA.
Forward Steven Lorentz left Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury. Berube did not have an update postgame. Lorentz has two assists. The Leafs are 10-2 in their past 12 Monday games.
DET
TOR