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Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Free Preview 4/23/18

Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Bruins at the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre in Game 6 of the NHL postseason’s first round. NBC Sports Network will broadcast the action, which gets underway at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, April 23.

Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Odds

Toronto (+105) is currently the underdog to Boston (-125), and the oddsmakers have put the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals. The odds for betting that total stand at -125 for the under and +105 for the over.

Boston is 53-34 straight up (SU) and has earned 4.0 units for moneyline bettors this year. 43 of its contests have gone under the total, while 39 have gone over and just five have pushed. As a road team this season, the Bruins are 23-20 SU.

After sporting the fourth-strongest power-play unit in the regular season (scoring on 24.4 percent of all opportunities), the Bruins have been able to score on 35.3 percent of their extra-man advantages in the early stages of this postseason.

The Bruins’ offensive attack attempted 33.1 shots per game in the regular season, resulting in 3.3 goals per outing (ranked sixth overall in the NHL). In the postseason, the club’s risen to an average of 35.2 shots on goal and up to 4.0 goals per game.

With a .916 save percentage and 25.6 saves per game, Tuukka Rask (37-22-5) has been the best option in goal for Boston this season. If Boston chooses to rest him, however, the team might roll with Anton Khudobin (16-16-7), who has a .914 save percentage and 2.52 goals against average this year.

The visiting Bruins have relied on Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak heavily this season. Marchand has 92 points on 36 goals and 56 assists, and has recorded multiple points 29 times. Pastrnak has 39 goals and 52 assists to his name (and has registered at least one point in 58 games).

On the other bench, Toronto is 51-36 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 6.2 units this year. 45 of its matches have gone over the total, while 36 have gone under and just six have pushed. The team is 30-13 SU at home this year.

The Maple Leafs come into the matchup with the second-best power-play unit in the NHL, as they’ve scored on 25.1 percent of their extra-man chances this year. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 12th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 80.2 percent of all opponent power plays.

Toronto players have been sent to the penalty box only 3.3 times per game in total this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five at home. The team’s been forced to stave off opponent power plays 8.9 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.

Frederik Andersen has stopped 30.5 shots per game as the primary netminder in goal for the Maple Leafs. Andersen has 42 wins, 29 losses, and five overtime losses to his credit and has recorded a .916 save percentage and 2.87 goals against average this season.

Mitchell Marner (23 goals, 52 assists) will lead the attack for the Leafs.

Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Predictions

Free Pick: SU Winner – Bruins, O/U – Under

Notes

Betting Notes

The over has hit in three of Toronto’s last five games.

Boston skaters have accounted for the eighth-most hits in the league (23.9 per game).

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Written by GMS Previews

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