The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs meet Wednesday in the NHL playoffs Game 2 at the Scotiabank Arena. Here’s a Maple Leafs vs Panthers Prediction. This article will include a Maple Leafs vs Panthers Pick.
Florida Panthers Betting Preview
The Florida Panthers need a win to even up the series at 1-1. The Panthers have won three of their last four road games. The Panthers have lost back-to-back games three times in their last eight playoff series.
The Florida Panthers are averaging 3.83 goals per game and are scoring 26.3 percent of their power-play opportunities. Sam Bennett leads Florida with 4 goals, Brad Marchand has 6 assists, and Sam Reinhart has 18 shots on goal. Defensively, the Florida Panthers are allowing 2.83 goals per game and are killing 91.3 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Sergei Bobrovsky has allowed 16 goals on 140 shots faced.
Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Preview
The Toronto Maple Leafs look to take a strong 2-0 series lead with a victory. The Maple Leafs have won 18 of their last 23 games. The Maple Leafs have won four of their last five home playoff games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are averaging 3.43 goals per game and are scoring 27.3 percent of their power-play opportunities. William Nylander leads Toronto with 5 goals, Mitch Marner has 8 assists, and Auston Matthews has 26 shots on goal. Defensively, the Toronto Maple Leafs are allowing 2.86 goals per game and are killing 77.8 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Anthony Stolarz has allowed 15 goals on 151 shots faced, and Joseph Woll has given up 3 goals on 20 shots.
Why the Toronto Maple Leafs will win
- The Maple Leafs have won each of their last eight games at Scotiabank Arena following a win.
- The Panthers have lost four of their last five games as road favorites against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The underdogs have covered the puck line in each of the Panthers’ last 10 games at Scotiabank Arena.
- The Panthers have failed to cover the puck line in 10 of their last 11 games as road favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Maple Leafs have won the third period in each of their last four games as underdogs when trailing after the second period.
Why the Florida Panthers will win
- The Panthers have won each of their last 10 Wednesday games as road favorites.
- The Panthers have covered the puck line in each of their last 11 Wednesday games.
- The Maple Leafs have failed to cover the puck line in six of their last eight home games against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The Panthers have won the second period in each of their last 11 games as road favorites against Atlantic Division opponents when tied after the first period.
Toronto Maple Leafs Player Prop Facts
- Matthew Knies has scored at least one goal in four of the Maple Leafs’ last five games as underdogs against Atlantic Division opponents.
- Auston Matthews has recorded at least one assist in each of the Maple Leafs’ last seven Game 2s of a playoff series.
- Auston Matthews has recorded at least one point in each of the Maple Leafs’ last seven Game 2s of a playoff series.
- Oliver Ekman-Larsson has recorded two assists against the Panthers this season – equal-most against any opponent.
Florida Panthers Player Prop Facts
- Sam Bennett has scored a goal in each of the Panthers’ last five road playoff games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- Matthew Tkachuk has recorded at least one point in each of his last 10 appearances with the Panthers as road favorites.
- Matthew Tkachuk has recorded an assist in each of his last six appearances with the Panthers as road favorites against Atlantic Division opponents.
- Aleksander Barkov ranks T1st in the league for shootout goals (4) this season.
Maple Leafs vs Panthers Injury Report
The Panthers don’t have any players listed on their injury report.
The Maple Leafs will continue to be without Jani Hakanpaa. Anthony Stolarz is questionable with an upper-body issue.
Maple Leafs vs Panthers Prediction
As I said in game 1, I still believe the Panthers are the team to beat in the East, and one game doesn’t change much. If anything, the Panthers still had their chances to win that game despite the slow start, and they started to sink their teeth into the game late. That should have a carry-over effect here. The Panthers have still won four of the last six games against the Maple Leafs.
This is an experienced championship roster that has risen to the occasion lots of times over the last three years. The injury to Stolarz is also concerning, as Woll is still an experienced goalie with just four playoff career starts. The Maple Leafs have been fantastic over the last couple of months, so I wouldn’t kill you if looking at the plus money. I still believe in the Panthers, and the line isn’t enough to scare me off. Give me the Panthers.