Free NHL Picks Today: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Carolina Hurricanes 3/17/23

Two of the NHL’s top defenses are set to meet at Scotiabank Arena on Friday, as the Toronto Maple Leafs (40-18-9) welcome the Carolina Hurricanes (44-14-8). Carolina is coming off a high-scoring 5-3 win over the Jets on Tuesday. The Hurricanes committed only two penalties in the game, holding Winnipeg without a power play goal.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi was the top goalscorer for the Hurricanes with two goals in regulation. Frederik Andersen saved only 21 of 24 shots (.875%) in the win.

Toronto is wrapping up a four-game homestand after a 2-1 shootout loss against the Avalanche on Wednesday. Morgan Rielly netted the lone goal in regulation for the Maple Leafs. Ilya Samsonov saved 28 of 29 shots (.965%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Maple Leafs won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 3-1 victory in November, their third straight win against Carolina. John Tavares, Calle Jarnkrok, and William Nylander were on the scoresheet for Toronto. Stefan Noesen scored Carolina’s only goal. Erik Kallgren got the win, saving 29 of 30 shots (.966%).

FACING OFF

Carolina is averaging 3.30 goals per game for the season, 12th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Maple Leafs team that is allowing only 2.67 goals a game (5th).

Meanwhile, Toronto has found the net 3.39 times a game on average, eighth in the league, and the Hurricanes are holding opponents to 2.52 goals per game (2nd).

Carolina averages more shots a game (34.9) than most teams in the league, ranking third, though the team’s 9.6% shooting percentage is 22nd. Toronto’s average of 31.9 attempts ranks 15th.

The Maple Leafs’ third-ranked power play offense (25.25%) will face a challenging test against the Hurricanes, who are the league’s second-best penalty killing team (83.96%).

Carolina, meanwhile, has scored on 21.23% of their power play opportunities (16th), which the visitors will be aiming to build on against Toronto’s 13th-ranked 81.19% penalty killing rate.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With 61 points this season, Martin Necas is the top skater for the Hurricanes. He has 25 goals and 36 assists in 66 games. In the net, Antti Raanta (16-2-3) is Carolina’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.32 GAA, fourth-best in the league, and a .907% save percentage.

Andersen (17-7-0) leads the Hurricanes in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 2.40 and a save percentage of .903%. Mitchell Marner and Nylander lead the Maple Leafs in scoring with 86 and 79 points, respectively.

Marner ranks seventh in the league in points scored on the season. He has 24 goals and 62 assists (4th), while Nylander has 35 goals and 44 assists. Samsonov (23-8-3) has the best goals against average for Toronto at 2.36, fifth-best in the league. He has a save percentage of .916%.