Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds
The Maple Leafs are slight underdogs on the NHL odds with a total of 6.5 goals.
Senators vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds
Both teams badly need the full three points for their post-season hopes, but it’s starting to look dimmer and dimmer for the Maple Leafs as they open a two-game homestand. Either start winning now or start dealing guys ahead of the March 6 trade deadline. They are up to +800 for the playoffs.
Ottawa is in better shape in terms of chasing a playoff spot as the Senators as of this writing are seven points out of the Eastern Conference’s final playoff spot but also have two teams ahead of them in Washington and surprising Columbus. Thus, that the Sens miss the post-season is a -360 favourite, while getting in is +285. The franchise tries for back-to-back playoff trips for the first time since the 2011-12 and 2012-13 campaigns.
This marks the second of four regular-season meetings with the final two in Ottawa on March 21 and April 15 in the finale for both. The Senators lost 7-5 at Scotiabank Arena on Dec. 27, with Toronto scoring at least twice in each period. Auston Matthews was the No. 1 star with a goal and two helpers, while Matthew Knies had two goals and an assist. Linus Ullmark was pulled after the Matthews goal in the second period in favour of Leevi Merilainen. Joseph Woll was in net for the Leafs.
Ottawa is 6-4 in the past 10 regular-season meetings overall, and the over-under is 5-4-1.
Ottawa Senators
Ottawa’s final game before the Olympic break was a 2-1 OT win in Philadelphia and its first game out of it was a 2-1 OT home loss to Detroit on Thursday. Brady Tkachuk had the lone Senators goal late in the first period on the power play. The Wings tied it early in the second on the power play and won it at 1:50 of OT on Dylan Larkin’s second goal of the game. Tkachuk opened the scoring for the 33rd time in his career to tie Dany Heatley for the fifth most in Senators history. Daniel Alfredsson holds the mark with 70 such goals. Frankly, the Sens probably deserved that game as they outshot the Red Wings (27-20), outhit them (30-18) and dominated in the face-off circle (61.5 per cent). Centre Tim Stutzle was a game-time call with an illness but played. Alas, his five-game goals streak ended, but he did have an assist. The Ottawa record for consecutive games with a goal is eight by Connor Brown in 2020-21. Linus Ullmark played well in net Thursday and should start again Saturday. He is 11-3-2 on the road despite a not-great 3.24 GAA and .863 SV. Ottawa has lost seven in a row vs. Atlantic Division foes.
Toronto Maple Leafs
All that good karma surrounding the Leafs and their three-game winning streak entering the Olympic break is long gone following back-to-back multiple-goal losses in the Sunshine State out of it. Toronto was dominated at Florida on Thursday, 5-1. The two-time defending Stanley Cup champs were up two goals barely five minutes in, and Toronto seemed to fold. John Tavares had the lone goal early in the third, his 22nd of the season. That was Tavares’ 79th career power-play goal with Toronto and tied Wendel Clark for the fifth most in franchise history. Mats Sundin holds the mark of 124. Auston Matthews had an assist to extend his assist streak to five games and tie the longest run of his career (also in 2024-25 & 2017-18). Interestingly enough, Matthews has almost four times as many five-game goal streaks (11) in his Hall of Fame career. Joseph Woll was in net Thursday and likely will be again Saturday despite the off night. He is 7-3-2 with a 2.95 GAA at home. Toronto has dropped its past five at Scotiabank Arena.
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