The Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs meet Tuesday in NHL action at the Scotiabank Arena. Here’s a Maple Leafs vs Penguins Prediction. This article will include a Maple Leafs vs Penguins Pick.
Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Preview
The Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Senators, split with the Habs, and they play the Blackhawks next. The Penguins have lost 8 of their last 9 games.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are averaging 3.03 goals per game and are scoring 29.6 percent of their power play opportunities. Sidney Crosby leads Pittsburgh with 20 goals, Erik Karlsson has 23 assists, and Bryan Rust has 85 shots on goal. Defensively, the Pittsburgh Penguins are allowing 3.09 goals per game and are killing 80.8 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Arturs Silovs has allowed 49 goals on 433 shots faced, while Tristan Jarry has given up 36 goals on 396 shots.
Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Preview
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost to the Stars and Predators, and they play the Senators next. The Maple Leafs have lost 5 of their last 6 games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are averaging 3.11 goals per game and are scoring 13.3 percent of their power-play opportunities. Auston Matthews leads Toronto with 14 goals, William Nylander has 25 assists, and John Tavares has 96 shots on goal. Defensively, the Toronto Maple Leafs are allowing 3.34 goals per game and are killing 83.2 percent of their opponent’s power plays. Anthony Stolarz has allowed 41 goals on 353 shots faced, while Dennis Hildeby has given up 32 goals on 349 shots.
Why the Toronto Maple Leafs will win
- The Penguins have lost eight of their last nine games.
- The Maple Leafs have won each of their last four home games against the Penguins.
- The Penguins have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last five games at Scotiabank Arena against opponents on a losing streak.
- The favorites have covered the puck line in four of the Maple Leafs’ last five games.
- The Penguins have lost the second period in each of their last seven games against Atlantic Division opponents when trailing after the first period.
Why the Pittsburgh Penguins will win
- The Penguins have won each of their last five games as underdogs against opponents on a losing streak.
- The Maple Leafs have lost five of their last six games as favorites.
- The Penguins have covered the puck line in each of their last eight road games following a home win.
- The Maple Leafs have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last seven games as home favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The underdogs have won the first period in each of the last six games between the Penguins and Maple Leafs.
Total Goals Facts
- Each of the Penguins’ last eight day games against opponents on a losing streak have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- Each of the Maple Leafs’ last five games against Eastern Conference opponents have gone UNDER the total goals line.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 2′ market has hit in 16 of the Penguins’ last 17 games following a shootout win.
- The ‘Over 1.5 Goals Period 1’ market has hit in each of the last four games between the Penguins and Maple Leafs.
Toronto Maple Leafs Player Prop Facts
- William Nylander has scored at least one goal in each of the Maple Leafs’ last four games as favorites against the Penguins.
- Morgan Rielly has recorded at least one assist in each of the Maple Leafs’ last six home games against the Penguins.
- Bobby McMann has scored two goals against the Penguins this season – equal-most against any opponent.
Pittsburgh Penguins Player Prop Facts
- Rickard Rakell has scored at least one goal in each of his last six appearances against the Maple Leafs.
- Sidney Crosby has recorded at least one assist in each of the Penguins’ last six games against the Maple Leafs.
- Rickard Rakell has recorded at least four shots in each of his last four appearances – longest active streak in the league.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Toronto Maple Leafs rank 32nd in the league in power play percentage this season (13.33%).
- The Toronto Maple Leafs rank 6th in the league in penalty kill percentage this season (83.16%).
- The Pittsburgh Penguins rank 3rd in the league in power play percentage this season (29.59%).
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have recorded the equal-longest losing streak (8 games) in the NHL this season.
Maple Leafs vs Penguins Prediction
The Penguins went from losing competitively to just downright losing, and they’re getting harder and harder to back. The Penguins are getting beaten over the head defensively during this losing stretch. I doubt an early game on the road is going to help matters. The Maple Leafs have had issues of their own, but they’re at home, and they’ve won 8 of the last 10 games against the Penguins. Two of those wins came last month where they scored a combined 11 goals. The Leafs have been at their best at home. I’ll lay the reasonable juice with the Maple Leafs on Tuesday afternoon.