Maple Leafs vs. Blackhawks Pick
Are the Toronto Maple Leafs the right play for bettors tonight at 8PM ET when they play at the Chicago Blackhawks?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Blackhawks are a -115 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Maple Leafs are a -105 underdog, while the total is set at 6 goals. As of Wednesday afternoon, 64 percent of public bets have come in on Chicago.
Toronto enters with a 26-18-4-1 record after a 4-2 home loss Monday against the Avalanche. Chicago is 22-19-5-1 following a 2-0 home loss Monday versus the Lightning. The Maple Leafs won the first meeting this season on their home ice by a score of 4-3 in overtime on Sept. 19. The Blackhawks are 2-1 in three meetings since the start of last season. The over is 2-1.
In the defeat versus Colorado, Patrick Marleau and Auston Matthews each scored a goal for Toronto. Frederik Andersen recorded 23 saves on 26 shots to take the loss. The Maple Leafs led 2-1 after the Matthews goal with 10:43 left in the second period, but the Avs scored three unanswered goals the rest of the way.
Chicago was paced by Patrick Sharp as he tallied a team-best five shots on goal in the shutout loss to Tampa Bay. Jeff Glass registered 29 saves on 31 shots in the defeat. The Lightning broke a scoreless tie with 2:46 left in the second period and added an insurance goal in the third.
The home team is 8-2 in the last 10 meetings. Toronto is 0-7 in its last seven meetings in Chicago and 3-13 in the last 16 meetings overall.
Bet on Maple Leafs vs. Blackhawks
Chicago couldn’t get anything going offensively in a big showdown two nights ago with the Lightning. After failing to take down the NHL’s best team, I see a letdown happening here. The Blackhawks are not the same team without injured Corey Crawford in net and against an explosive offense such as Toronto’s, I believe Chicago will struggle to keep the puck out of its own net.
NHL DAILY PREDICTION: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS -105