Find out how Game 6 stacks up between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens as the North Division series enters game 6 in the first round.The Toronto Maples Leafs descend on the Montreal Canadiens looking to close out the series in game 6 and the NHL odds underscore that lofty ambition. The Leafs are installed as the runaway faves across the board, even though they fritted an opportunity to clinch the series in game 5 behind a bitter overtime loss. The Leafs have the 3-2 advantage and are still in the driver’s seat.
The Montreal Canadiens fought hard to stave off elimination on Thursday and were handsomely rewarded in a satisfying overtime victory. Now, as the series is extended for at least one more game, the Canadiens are eager to bank on home-ice advantage and knot up this series in order to send it to a deciding game 7. But the odds aren’t lining up in their favour at all. If anything, the Canadiens are pegged as huge home underdogs, meaning a win by the hosts would be a massive upset.
So, does the market have it right? Are the Maple Leafs the smart bet? Or can the plucky Canadiens live for another game?
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens
Saturday, May 29, 2021, 7:00 PM EDT at Bell Centre, Montreal
Leafs Look To Close Out Series
The Maple Leafs lost a heartbreaker on Thursday night, giving up a goal within the first minute of overtime. A costly turnover in the Canadiens offensive zone turned into a 2-on-0 situation for Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki as they charged the net without a player in sight to stop them. After blithely passing the puck back-and-forth a couple of times, Suzuki was the one to bury it into the net.
Toronto had the chance to put Montreal away in game 5, but they were on the back foot all night long. Before they new it, they were down 0-3 on the night. Getting back into the game after falling behind early and actually tying it 3-3 to send it into overtime gave the Leafs the momentum in the game towards the end. Unfortunately, they took their eye off the prize in overtime and paid for it dearly.
Jake Muzzin led the Leafs with two goals and Zach Hayman added another goal. Jack Campbell made 26 of 30 saves for an .867 save percentage. It was a devastating night for the Leafs and their downcast post-game pressers showed just how disappointed the locker room was about how the game ended. It’s not just the mistake that proved costly, but rather their lack of intensity to start the extra frame after all the effort to tie the game.
“We didn’t come out with nearly enough urgency or jump to start with, and they obviously were much more desperate than us,” said Leafs centre Auston Matthews. “They played well. We gave ourselves a chance, just came up short.” If the Leafs are to make good on expectations and come through on their favour in NHL betting markets, they need to bounce back quickly and put game 5 to the back of their minds. Otherwise, this will go downhill quickly. “Quick memory, you know. Forget about it, learn from it, move on, get ready for the next game,” said Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin.
Canadiens Battle To Stay Alive
The Canadiens clearly want to play postseason hockey and they showed just how eager they’re to stick around in this series, if not turn it entirely on its head. Which would be a total upset in the betting that would send seismic shockwaves through markets across sports betting sites.
The Canadiens though very nearly blew it in game 5 by allowing the Maple Leafs to stage a serious comeback to level the game and send it into overtime. That inability to hold on to the lead and put away the Leafs has to be a source of concern. Indeed, one could argue, had the Leafs not been so sloppy to start, things might have not gone their way at all because Toronto had all the momentum going into overtime.
All in all, it was the result that the Canadiens needed and how they got it won’t matter a jot if they continue their sojourn successfully in the postseason. Joel Armia led Montreal with two goals while Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored a goal. Veteran goaltender Carey Price had a solid night and stopped 32 out of 35 shots faced.
NHL Predictions and Picks:
Although the NHL market on this game is skewed heavily in favour of Toronto, one has to consider Montreal’s value as the underdog in this game. Winning game 5 was a pivotal moment in this series that snapped Toronto’s three-game winning streak and upset the Leafs’ equilibrium up to that point. The Canadiens had surprised the Leafs in game 1, but then couldn’t quite get past the Leafs’ stout defense and the solid goaltending of Campbell in the ensuing three games.
Inasmuch as it’s a must-win game for the Canadiens, it’s also a must-win for the Leafs. If the Canadiens were to pull off back-to-back wins, the impact on Montreal’s confidence would be huge. But can Toronto crash Montreal’s homecoming party on Saturday?
It’s a right tossup for NHL picks to be sure because a lot is riding on the outcome of this game. From a betting perspective however, of all the NHL odds and lines on offer, the Canadiens on the moneyline promise the best value in terms of return on investment. Of course, it’s still a bit of a longshot bet. So, not for the fainthearted. But if you’re betting on the Canadiens too then just don’t go betting the farm on it.
NHL Pick: Montreal Canadiens +165 with Bovada
