Dallas Stars vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds
Auston Matthews begins a two-game suspension stemming from an altercation with Buffalo defenceman Rasmus Sandin in Sunday’s 5-2 loss that marks the club’s fourth defeat in six outings. The Stars face injury woes of their own as they arrive in Toronto riding a two-game slide, capped by Saturday’s 7-4 loss to the visiting New York Rangers.
The Leafs are -153 favourites to win on the NHL odds, with a total of 6.0.
Stars vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds
Despite their recent struggles, the Maple Leafs look to Tuesday’s contest as -153 favourites, while Dallas lags as a +125 underdog. The total is pegged at 6.0, with the OVER slightly favoured with -120 odds.
Tuesday night’s matchup at Scotiabank Arena is the first meeting between these two clubs since February 2020, and the first of their two regular season clashes. These clubs split a pair of dates in early 2020, with road teams claiming the win in each of those contests. Overall, the Stars have won two of three against Toronto, ending a dominant 11-2-0 run by the Maple Leafs. Each of the Stars’ two recent head-to-head wins have come in Toronto, and have been hard fought, low scoring affairs. Dallas skated to a 3-2 win in their most recent visit after topping the Buds 2-1 back in November 2018. Despite that low scoring, these clubs have combined to produce mixed results in totals betting, with the OVER/UNDER going 4-4-0 over their past eight.
The Stars’ defeat on Broadway marks the first time they have lost consecutive games since mid-January. However, the club has lost three of five on the road while scoring just a single goal in each of those defeats. Saturday’s loss to the Rangers was also the third time this club has allowed seven goals this season, and ends a stingy run of 10 games during which they allowed an average of just 2.10 goals. The Maple Leafs have surrendered just under five goals per game over their past eight outings, and at least five goals in four of six home dates. That extends a steady run for the OVER, which has gone 16-4-1 over Toronto’s past 21 contests.
Dallas Stars
The Stars blue line suffered a serious blow with the loss of Miro Heiskanen, who is sidelined indefinitely with a bout of mononucleosis. Heiskanen leads the club in ice time by a wide margin, averaging 24:46 per game, but has been a non-factor offensively, compiling just three assists since the start of February.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthews’ suspension robs the Leafs of their top offensive weapon. The 24-year-old was enjoying a five-game scoring streak during which he potted eight markers. Matthews’ absence places added pressure on team captain John Tavares, who has struggled to find the mark, scoring just twice over his past 19 outings. However, Tavares has turned in multi-point performances in two straight home dates. With Jack Campbell still injured, Petr Mrazek is expected to get the start in net. Mrazek has surrendered 17 total goals over his past four appearances, including stunning home losses to Buffalo and Arizona.
DAL
TOR