The Toronto Maple Leafs (-190) play host to the Vancouver Canucks (+160) at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday. The total is 6.5 (O: -120, U: +100)Vancouver (4-7-3) is coming off a 5-2 loss against the Canadiens on Wednesday. The Canucks committed five penalties in the game, conceding one power play goal.
Nils Hoglander and Luke Schenn both scored once for the Canucks. Thatcher Demko only had 24 saves on 29 shots against (.827%) in the loss. Toronto (7-5-3) is playing the second of a back-to-back after suffering a 4-2 loss against the Penguins yesterday. William Nylander and Zach Aston-Reese both scored once for the Maple Leafs. Erik Kallgren saved only 19 of 22 shots against (.863%) in the loss.
HEAD TO HEAD
The Canucks won both games between the teams last season, including a 6-4 victory in their final meeting in March. Five players had two points for Vancouver. Auston Matthews (2G 0A) and John Tavares (1G 1A) each had two points to lead Toronto. Demko got the win despite allowing four goals on 38 shots (.894%).
FACING OFF
Vancouver is averaging 3.50 goals per game for the season, ninth in the NHL, and they are taking on a Maple Leafs team that is allowing 2.80 goals a game (9th). Meanwhile, Toronto has found the net 2.80 times a game on average, 24th in the league, and the Canucks are allowing opponents to score 4.07 goals per game (30th).
The Canucks’ 27.08% power play percentage is the fifth-best in the league, while the Maple Leafs rank eighth with a conversion rate of 25.49%. While efficient on the power play, Vancouver has been poor at penalty killing, as the away team possesses the league’s lowest PK% at 61.70%. Toronto’s 78.43% ranks 19th in the NHL.
TOP PERFORMERS:
With 18 points this season, ninth-most in the NHL, Elias Pettersson is the top skater for the Canucks. He is among the league leaders with 12 assists (9th) and has added six goals of his own. In the net, Spencer Martin (3-0-1) is Vancouver’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 3.46 GAA and a .900% save percentage.
Demko (1-7-2) leads the Canucks in games played in goal. He has a GAA of 4.01 and a save percentage of .874%. Mitchell Marner leads the Maple Leafs in scoring with 17 points. He has three goals and 14 assists (7th) in 15 games. Ilya Samsonov (6-2-0) has the best goals against average for Toronto at 2.23. He has a save percentage of .921%.
HOME AND AWAY
Vancouver is 2-4-2 away from home this season. Toronto is 5-2-1 at home this season. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs are 2-1 without a day off and 1-1 playing with a rest disadvantage.
SportsTips’ NHL Pick:
Toronto Maple Leafs (-175)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
