Two teams meeting for the third time this year, the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs take the ice at Air Canada Centre for an Original Six showdown. The first puck drops at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 17, and it will air live on CBC Sports.
Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs Odds
The Maple Leafs are 42-29 straight up (SU) and have netted moneyline bettors 5.3 units this year. That winning percentage, ranked fifth in the NHL in this young season, is a welcome improvement over the 40-42 record from last year’s regular season campaign. Of the team’s 71 games this season, 36 have gone over the total, while 31 have gone under and just four have pushed. The team is 24-10 SU at home this year.
Toronto has been able to convert on 22.3 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that places them in the top-5 among NHL teams. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated 10th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 82.2 percent of all penalties.
Toronto, as a collective unit, has been called for penalties just 3.3 times per game overall this season, and 2.4 per game over its last five home outings. The team’s had to kill penalties for just 6.8 minutes per game over its last 10 outings, overall.
With a .919 save percentage and 31.0 saves per game, Frederik Andersen (35 wins, 23 losses, and five OT losses) has been the best goalkeeper for the Maple Leafs this year. If the Leafs choose to give him the night off, however, it could go with Curtis McElhinney (9-6-6 record, .931 save percentage, 2.25 goals against average).
The Leafs will continue to lean on the leadership via Mitchell Marner and William Nylander. Marner (59 points) has produced 19 goals and 40 assists and has recorded multiple points in 15 different games this year. Nylander has 14 goals and 37 assists to his name and has recorded a point in 37 contests.
On the other side of the rink, Montreal is 26-45 straight up (SU) and has lost 21.9 units for bettors taking the moneyline this year. Through 71 regular season matches, 38 of its games have gone under the total, while 31 have gone over and just two have pushed. Montreal’s 9-26 SU as the visiting team this season.
Montreal has scored on 21.2 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s good enough for 10th-best in the league. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 29th overall and it’s successfully killed off 75.4 percent of all opponent power plays.
Montreal’s players have been penalized 3.8 times per game this season, 4.0 per game over their past five games total, and 4.4 per game over their last five games as the visiting team. The team has been forced to defend opponent power plays 9.8 minutes per contest over their last five road games.
Carey Price (27.3 saves per game) has been the primary choice in goal for Montreal. Price owns a 15-28-6 record, while registering a .904 save percentage and 2.98 goals against average this year.
Alex Galchenyuk (16 goals, 28 assists) has been one of the most vital facilitators on offense for the visiting Canadiens.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Predictions
Pick: SU Winner – Maple Leafs, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Trends
The over has hit in each of Toronto’s last five games.
Penalties and power plays could prove to be even more critical than usual in the outcome of this one. The Canadiens are 10-14 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 19-30 when they serve fewer than 10 penalty minutes, in total. The Maple Leafs are 15-9 when the team serves fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 31-27 in games where they’re in the box for less than 10 minutes.
Three of Toronto’s last ten games have ended in a shootout. The team is 2-1 in those games and 7-2 overall in shootouts this season.
Toronto skaters have created 9.6 takeaways per game over its last five home games, an improvement over its season average of 8.2 takeaways per game (ranked 9th in the league).
Montreal skaters have created 7.8 takeaways per game over its last five road games, its season average of 7.3 takeaways per game (ranked 15th in the league).
Toronto might have an advantage if it’s a close one late. The team’s 22-10 in games decided by one goal, while Montreal is 10-15 in such games.
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