Tonight’s NHL matchup in Toronto is set to be an intense battle between two red hot teams, add into the mix that the Carolina Hurricanes goaltender is a former Maple Leaf and in red hot form this season and we could be in for a classic encounter.
The Carolina Hurricanes sit 1st in the Metropolitan division, whilst the Maple Leafs are 3rd in the Atlantic division, however, in the Eastern conference just three points separate tonight’s two teams.
Both these teams have accumulated 15 points from their previous 10 NHL games.
Monday, February 7, 2022 – 7:00 PM EST at Scotiabank Arena
The Hurricanes have proved to us this season that their divisional win last season was no fluke and they are genuinely a strong Stanley Cup contender. With an overall seasonal record to date sitting at 31-9-2, they are a force to be reckoned with and have picked up wins in 7 of their last 8 NHL games.
This Hurricanes team has a well-rounded roster and defensively they are statistically the best team in the league having allowed the least amount of goals per game with just 2.26. They also boast the second-best save percentage in the league and have allowed the least amount of shots on goal.
A lot of praise has to come on the shoulders of former Maple Leaf goaltender, Frederik Andersen. He has a 24-6-0 record this campaign with a 2.01 GAA and a .929 save percentage. He is 2-2-1 versus Toronto in previous encounters.
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Toronto is as hot as they can be right now having won their previous 5 NHL games and scored 27 goals along the way, an average of just over 4 goals per game. Although worryingly they have also allowed 3.1 goals per game in the five-game winning streak.
Let’s also be a little “real” here, it’s not like the Maple Leafs beat up on a few big teams in this five-game stretch, credit is due to them for performing well, etc. but two of those wins came against the worst team in the Metropolitan Division (New Jersey Devils).
They scored 13 of their 27 goals against the Devils so it’s no surprise to learn the Devils have allowed the 4th most amount of goals against in the league and the 2nd worst goaltender save percentage. Not one of their five games came against a team currently in a playoff spot.
*Trends should never be your main source of information when it comes to making your NHL picks, they are merely guidelines and mostly irrelevant information but nonetheless can be interesting to read.
Carolina Hurricanes
Toronto Maple Leafs
Money Line: The Carolina Hurricanes have been made underdogs for tonight’s road game as they are +115 on the money line, best priced with BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review). If you wish to bet on the Maple Leafs on home ice you will have to lay -128.
Total: The total opened up at 5.5 but has since moved up half a point into 6.0. The over is currently -119 with the under coming in at +108.
Puck Line: Carolina might be dogs here but to bet them on the +1.5 PK line you will have to lay -205. Toronto -1.5 on the PK line is set at +180 with the best online sportsbooks.
The Maple Leafs are a strong team, no doubt about that, and maybe we were a little harsh on their winning streak, but the fact remains we are still not prepared to bet on them at NHL odds of -128 against the best defensive team in the league and with the Maple Leafs set to start Petr Mrázek in the crease, we are more than happy to bet the Hurricanes as underdogs in this NHL encounter.
Mrázek has a 2.94 goal against average and only a save percentage sitting at 902. Compare that to the Hurricanes goaltender Andersen and already we have a big miss-match in goaltending terms.
Carolina has the number 1 penalty kill in the league and this is the area where the Leafs would have been hoping to find some success. This is a bum deal for Leafs' bettors tonight, even if they win there is absolutely zero value on them in our eyes. Take the Hurricanes as NHL road dogs tonight.
If that hasn’t made your mind up, Carolina has beaten Toronto in 3 of their last 4 meetings by an aggregated scoreline of 20-13.
NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes ML (+115) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.