Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds
The Maple Leafs enter the first weekend of the NHL regular season after splitting their first two contests of the season, capped by a narrow 3-2 win over the visiting Washington capitals in Thursday night’s home opener. The Senators wrap up a season-opening two-game road trip after dropping a 4-1 decision in Buffalo on Thursday.
The Maple Leafs rocketed to lofty -248 chalk while receiving the backing of 82% of sports bettors. Conversely, the Senators have tumbled to +205 underdogs since opening at +178. The total has dipped to 6.5 since opening at 7.0, but the odds of the OVER paying out have vaulted to -140, supported by 68% of the betting action.
Senators vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds
Saturday night’s matchup at Scotiabank Arena marks the first of four scheduled meetings between the Atlantic Division rivals this season. After dropping an early-season 3-2 decision in Ottawa, the Maple Leafs claimed victory in each of their three final dates with the Senators last season, outscoring Ottawa by a 14-5 overall margin in those contests. Overall, the Maple Leafs have won 11 of their past 16 clashes with Ottawa, and have been dominant in dates at Scotiabank Arena, where they have won five straight, and eight of nine while averaging 4.56 goals per game. However, with the Senators scoring one or fewer goals in four of their past seven visits to Toronto, the UNDER holds a slight 4-3-0 edge over that stretch.
Ottawa Senators
The Senators took major steps to bolster their offence during the offseason after averaging a 26th-ranked 2.77 goals per game last season. The additions of Claude Giroux and Alex DeBrincat strengthens a promising young core led by Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, and Josh Norris. Indeed, after posting five straight losing seasons, the Senators have attracted attention as an attractive +250 to return to the playoff picture this season. However, they must do a better job of maintaining intensity than they did in Thursday’s loss in Buffalo.
Ottawa seized an early 1-0 lead while peppering former Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson with 16 shots. However, the Senators wilted in the face of the Sabres’ 15-shot onslaught in the second period, which they were lucky to get of down by just a single goals. Ottawa didn’t help itself by coming up empty on four power play opportunities, including a two-man advantage in the middle frame, and have now failed to score a power play goal in seven of their past nine road games.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs responded to Wednesday’s heartbreaking 4-3 loss to the Canadiens by once again blowing an early lead in Thursday’s home opener against Washington, forcing them to rally in the third period to earn their first win of the season. Leafs shooters enjoyed plenty of chances, particularly in the first period, when they outshot the Capitals by a wide 21-11 margin. That marked a vast improvement after the team recorded just six shots on goal over the first 16 minutes in Montreal.
However, with Auston Matthews and William Nylander combining to generate 22 total shots over the first two games, there is less concern about Toronto’s offence finding its groove, and more worries about how goaltender Matt Murray will fare when he faces his former Senators teammates on Saturday. Murray mustered just 19 saves while facing 23 shots on Wednesday, and surrendered two goals in the final 2:30 of the contest. Now rising a seven-game personal losing streak, during which he has allowed 26 total goals, Murray is also under increasing pressure after his rival for the crease, Ilya Samsonov, stopped the last 17 shots he faced to seal the win over the Capitals on Thursday.
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