The Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs meet Thursday in NHL action at the Scotiabank Arena. Here’s a Maple Leafs vs Blue Jackets Prediction. This article will include a Maple Leafs vs Blue Jackets Pick.
Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Preview
The Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Habs, lost to the Jets, and play the Red Wings next. The Blue Jackets have lost 4 of their last 6 games.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are averaging 2.95 goals per game and are scoring 17.4 percent of their power play opportunities. Kirill Marchenko leads Columbus with 8 goals, Charlie Coyle has 11 assists and Zach Werenski has 72 shots on goal. Defensively, the Columbus Blue Jackets are allowing 3.2 goals per game and are killing 72 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Jet Greaves has allowed 34 goals on 356 shots faced, and Elvis Merzlikins has given up 27 goals on 270 shots.
Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Preview
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Blackhawks, beat the Blues, and they play the Habs next. The Maple Leafs have lost 5 of their last 6 games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are averaging 3.5 goals per game and are scoring 23.5 percent of their power-play opportunities. John Tavares leads Toronto with 11 goals, William Nylander has 18 assists, and Auston Matthews has 65 shots on goal. Defensively, the Toronto Maple Leafs are allowing 3.67 goals per game and are killing 67.1 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Anthony Stolarz has allowed 41 goals on 353 shots faced, while Dennis Hildeby has given up 12 goals on 125 shots.
Why the Toronto Maple Leafs will win
- The Blue Jackets have lost five of their last six road games.
- The home team has won nine of the Blue Jackets’ last 11 games.
- The home team has covered the puck line in each of the Maple Leafs’ last five games.
- The Blue Jackets have failed to cover the puck line in three of their last four games.
- The Blue Jackets have lost the second period in seven of their last eight road games against Atlantic Division opponents when trailing after the first period.
Why the Columbus Blue Jackets will win
- The Blue Jackets have won each of their last six games against Atlantic Division opponents.
- The Maple Leafs have lost four of their last five games as favorites after coming off overtime.
- The underdogs have covered the puck line in each of the Maple Leafs’ last six games.
- The Maple Leafs have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last six games as home favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Blue Jackets have won the third period in seven of their last eight road games when leading after the second period.
Total Goals Facts
- Each of the Maple Leafs’ last nine games against Eastern Conference opponents have gone OVER the total goals line.
- Four of the Blue Jackets’ last five road games against Atlantic Division opponents have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- Ten of the last 11 Thursday night games have gone OVER the total goals line.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1′ market has hit in each of the Maple Leafs’ last eight games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 3′ market has hit in each of the Blue Jackets’ last nine road games against the Maple Leafs.
Toronto Maple Leafs Player Prop Facts
- Auston Matthews has scored at least one goal in nine of his last 10 appearances with the Maple Leafs as favorites against the Blue Jackets.
- William Nylander has recorded at least one point in each of his last 16 appearances in night games.
- William Nylander has recorded at least one assist in each of his last eight appearances with the Maple Leafs as home favorites.
Columbus Blue Jackets Player Prop Facts
- Kirill Marchenko has recorded at least one assist in each of the Blue Jackets’ last six games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- Miles Wood has scored at least one goal in each of his last three road appearances against Eastern Conference opponents.
- Kirill Marchenko has recorded at least one point in 12 of the Blue Jackets’ last 13 games.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Toronto Maple Leafs rank 31st in the league for goals against per game this season (3.70).
- The Toronto Maple Leafs rank 4th in the league for goals per game this season (3.50).
- The Columbus Blue Jackets rank 29th in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (72.00%).
- The Columbus Blue Jackets played in the equal-highest number of games that have gone to shootout this season (4).
Maple Leafs vs Blue Jackets Prediction
You can argue the Blue Jackets are playing the better hockey, and they did beat up on the Maple Leafs a few weeks ago, 6-3. However, the Maple Leafs are better than this recent stretch indicates, and maybe that overtime win over the Blues gets them back on track. The Maple Leafs are also at home, where 8 of their 9 wins have come. Oddsmakers seem to be down on the Maple Leafs, but these are spots to take advantage of soft lines with a team this talented. At home and a cheap price, I’ll gladly side with the Maple Leafs.