Free NHL Picks Today: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers 1/17/23

The Toronto Maple Leafs (26-11-7) host the Florida Panthers (21-20-4) at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. Florida is playing the second of a back-to-back after earning a 4-1 win over the Sabres yesterday. The Panthers committed four penalties in the game, though they held Buffalo without a power play goal.

Four players found the net for the Panthers. Matthew Tkachuk had three assists to lead the team in scoring. Sergei Bobrovsky saved an impressive 28 of 29 shots (.965%) in the win. Toronto fell 4-3 to the Bruins on Saturday. Michael Bunting, Pierre Engvall, and Auston Matthews scored one apiece for the Maple Leafs.

Bunting added an assist to share the scoring lead with Mitchell Marner, who had two assists. Matt Murray only had 30 saves on 34 shots against (.882%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Panthers won two of the three games between the teams last season, including a 3-2 (OT) victory in their final meeting in April. Claude Giroux led Florida with three points (1G 2A). T.J. Brodie led Toronto with two points (0G 2A). Bobrovsky got the win, saving 34 of 36 shots (.944%).

FACING OFF

Florida is averaging 3.27 goals per game for the season, 12th in the NHL, and they are taking on a Maple Leafs team that is allowing only 2.64 goals a game (4th). Meanwhile, Toronto has found the net 3.34 times a game on average, ninth in the league, and the Panthers are allowing opponents to score 3.38 goals per game (22nd).

Florida averages more shots (35.4) than most teams in the league, ranking second, though the team’s 9.3% shooting percentage is 24th. Toronto’s average of 31.5 attempts ranks 17th. Power play opportunities are likely to be plentiful for the Maple Leafs, as the Panthers are averaging 4.84 penalties per game, most in the NHL.

The visitors’ 11.89 penalty minutes a game ranks second-highest. The home team has been penalized 3.73 times a game (22nd) for an average of 8.34 minutes (23rd).

The Maple Leafs’ 24.65% power play percentage ranks eighth in the league, while the Panthers are 17th with a conversion rate of 21.38%. When it comes to defending power plays, Toronto has the league’s 14th-ranked PK% at 79.26%, while Florida is 22nd at 75.45%.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With 56 points this season, Tkachuk is the top skater for the Panthers. He has 22 goals and 34 assists in 42 games. In the net, Spencer Knight (9-7-3) is Florida’s top goaltender. He has a 3.06 GAA and a .906% save percentage. Marner and Matthews lead the Maple Leafs in scoring with 52 and 48 points, respectively.

Marner has 16 goals and 36 assists (6th) in 44 games, while Matthews has 21 goals and 27 assists. Ilya Samsonov (12-4-1) has the best goals against average for Toronto at 2.33. He has a save percentage of .914%. Murray (11-5-2) has played the most games in net for the Maple Leafs this season. He has a 2.57 GAA and a .917% save percentage.

HOME AND AWAY

Florida is 10-14-1 away from home this season. Toronto is 15-3-4 at home this season. Meanwhile, the Panthers are 1-4 without a day off and 0-3 playing with a rest disadvantage. The Maple Leafs are 5-0 with a rest advantage.