Maple Leafs vs. Panthers Odds
| Maple Leafs Odds | +112 |
| Panthers Odds | -134 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 (-148 / +120) |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
The Florida Panthers have gone on quite an incredible run, as they are looking to punch their ticket to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Cats have won their last six straight games, and they have everything on the line.
The Toronto Maple Leafs, meanwhile, don't have much to play for considering the fact they've already clinched home ice for the first round.
This might be the most important game of the year for the Panthers. Let's dive in to see how that narrative could impact the game from a betting perspective.
Toronto Maple Leafs
It can be expected that the Maple Leafs will sit some of their best players in this game since there are absolutely zero implications for them in this matchup. No matter what happens in this game for Toronto, it won't make a difference for it in the standings.
That being said, it's not like the Leafs aren't going to play hard. This team still has to ramp up their game and get ready for the postseason pace.
The Leafs have an interesting goaltending situation going on right now with Matt Murray out due to injury. Joseph Woll got the start in the most recent game, but they haven't announced whether he or Ilya Samsonov will get the start in the blue paint tonight. Both of them have been good as of late, with Woll going 2-0-0 in his last two starts and Samsonov skating to a 2-1-1 mark in his last four.
The Leafs have won both meetings between the two teams thus far this season, but we're going to see a different-looking Leafs team in this game. They will most likely be without some of their key players, like captain John Tavares.
To be completely honest, I'm not expecting much from the Leafs tonight as their goal right now is to stay healthy.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers have put together a very impressive second half of the season thanks to the play of their new star, Matthew Tkachuk, and a couple of stellar performances in goal from Alex Lyon.
Lyon has certainly been an unsung hero, going 5-0-0 in his last five starts with a 1.40 goals against average and a .957 save percentage. This man has been on fire.
In that same five-game span, the Cats' top line has been red hot. Carter Verhaeghe has tallied five goals, Aleksander Barkov has scored two goals with eight assists and Tkachuk has added five goals with six assists.
The Panthers are one of the best offensive teams in the NHL, with a large thanks to this first line. As a team, they're averaging 3.54 goals per game and own the 10th-best power-play unit, which is converting at a 23.2% rating.
Considering they've been phenomenal on home ice this season with a 23-12-4 record, they should be able to take care of home ice yet again.
Maple Leafs vs. Panthers Pick
We're going to keep this play simple. The Panthers are the way more desperate team right now with everything to play for. Not only that, but they have also been very consistent in this recent stretch of games with their top guys buzzing.
There's a little bit of juice on the Cats straight up but not too much to shy away from. I love how this team is playing, and I don't think the Leafs will stand in their way tonight.
Pick: Panthers ML -145 |
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