Toronto Maple Leafs VS Tampa Bay Lightning faceoff in the First Round, with both sides coming into the series with impressive seasons and unique playoff histories.
Tampa Bay went 46-30-6 this season and wants to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the fourth year in a row. Toronto went 50-21-11 with a four-game win streak to end the season but they haven’t won a playoff series since 2004 or won a Stanley Cup since 1967, which is the longest drought in the NHL.
The Lightning struck the Maple Leafs in a seven-game series last season and this series, beginning with Game One looks like it will be good.
Ahead of the puck game, these are the NHL Predictions Today for Maple Leafs VS Lightning to follow by MatchPlug.
Predictions and Betting Preview for Toronto Maple Leafs VS Tampa Bay Lightning Playoffs
- Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Canada.
- When: Tuesday, April 18th, 2023
- Time: 16:30 GMT
- Teams to play: Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay
- NHL Expert Picks: MONEYLINE 2.088
Odds as seen on 1XBet and BetMGM.
Betting On The Toronto Maple Leafs
Season Record: 50-21-11
- 1XBet Spread: -1
- 1XBet Moneyline: 2.088
- 1XBet Over/Under: Over 5.5
- BetMGM Spread: -1.5
- BetMGM Moneyline: 1.65
- BetMGM Over/Under: Under 6
The Maple Leafs season was great with their offense improving and scoring 3.39 goals per game including 16 goals in the last four games to end the season. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander share 110 goals and 161 assists to head the top two lines but the whole offense squad have been good this season.
Michael Bunting and Calle Jarnkok combine for 79 goals and 89 assists while defensemen Morgan Rielly and Mark Giordano contributed 8 goals and 57 assists from the point to place the offense over the top.
Toronto’s offense has been excellent, but the defense has done well too, allowing just 2.68 goals per game. Mark Giordano and Justin Holl combine for 9.6 defensive point shares and 286 blocked shots while Timothy Liljegren, T.J. Brodie, and Jake McCabe combine for 9.3 defensive point shares to add depth to the unit. Goaltender Ilya Samsonov is not left out of a good performance too, with a .919 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average on 1184 shots with 17.4 goals saved above average.
Betting On The Tampa Bay Lightning
Season Record: 46-30-6
- 1XBet Spread: +1
- 1XBet Moneyline: 3.184
- 1XBet Over/Under: Under 5.5
- BetMGM Spread: +1.5
- BetMGM Moneyline: Over 6
- BetMGM Over/Under: 2.30
Tampa Bay Lightning delivered another unforgettable season with their offense assisting them, scoring 3.41 goals per game. Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Steven Stamkos scored 115 goals and 177 assists to lead the top two lines but the other offense members improved too.
Brandon Hagel, Alex Killorn, and Nick Paul share 74 goals and 86 assists while defensemen Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev added 19 goals and 94 assists from the point to open up the offense.
The Lightning’s offense is good but their defense struggled, allowing 3.07 goals per game. Hedman and Sergachev combine 9.0 defensive point shares, but the rest of the unit faced challenges, leaving the opposing offense to find open shots on the net at will. The goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy is the one bright spot for Tampa Bay. Vasilevskiy has a .915 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average on 1875 shots with 20.5 goals saved above average.
MatchPlug Prediction
Today’s matchup will be a good one between two teams that are evenly matched. Tampa Bay will want to clinch a game on the road, but Toronto wants to make an impression in Game One and control the clash on their home ice.
The Maple Leafs who have averaged 3.39 goals per game, should continuously find the back of the net with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and the other forward unit members taking charge of the puck in the offensive zone and creating open shots.
Toronto which allows just 2.68 goals per game, will limit the Lightning’s offense with Mark Giordano, Justin Holl, and the other defensive unit members making turnovers in the defensive zone and curbing shooting lanes, creating space for goaltender Ilya Samsonos to make many big saves.
The Maple Leafs should have no problems winning Game One with a powerful home performance.
Prediction: Toronto Maple Leafs Moneyline.
