It’s never a good idea to get too comfortable in the NHL, as fortunes can change very quickly. Falling into a losing skid is almost a given for any team over the course of an 82-game schedule, with that once comfortable position quickly becoming anything but. Still, at this late stage of the season, there are a few teams that look to be a total lock to be in the playoffs, with one of those teams being the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals. They are not having it all their way this season, though, and are currently trailing the New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division.
It is also becoming clear that surviving the Eastern Conference in the playoffs is going to be no easy feat, as there are several teams who have the tools to make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. The Toronto Maple Leafs are certainly in that group, and they will host the defending champions on Thursday night. The Leafs are favored by 1 ½ at home, with the O/U for this one set at 6 ½.
Capitals at Maple Leafs NHL Betting Lines & Prediction
“We are pleased to welcome Carl to our organization. We felt this trade enables us to add depth up front and provides us with a veteran player with a tremendous amount of speed to help us on the penalty kill.” – GM Brian MacLellan https://t.co/RnSYsSWYjE
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) 21 de febrero de 2019
- When: Thursday, February 21 at 7 PM EST
- Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
- TV: ESPN+
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Odds: Toronto Maple Leafs -165 (Total 6.5)
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Why bet on the Washington Capitals?
Given how tight the race for playoff spots is in the Eastern Conference, the Washington Capitals cannot yet consider themselves to be totally comfortable just yet. That said, though, they are playing consistent hockey, going 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, that is keeping them within reach of the Metropolitan Division-leading New York Islanders. The Capitals have the opportunity to close that gap after seeing the Islanders fall to the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night.
The Capitals have certainly been good enough on the road to go out and get that win, posting a 16-11-2 record away from home, although they did lose both previous meetings with the Leafs this season. Washington has a decent road record versus the Leafs, winning in 4 of their last 6 trips to Toronto.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.37
- Shots: 29.87
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.59
Defense
- Goals: 3.18
- Shots: 32.35
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.57
Why bet on the Toronto Maple Leafs?
The Leafs are in the unenviable position of playing in the same division as the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team that is already an absolute shoo-in for the President’s Trophy for the best record in the league. They have been trailing the Bolts all season long, but they have now slipped into the #3 spot in the division after losing back to back games and seeing the Boston Bruins go on a tear. It’s not as if the Leafs have been poor, though, as they are still a solid 6-2-2 in their last 10 games.
This is a team that is also a solid 17-11-1 on home ice, so this is a good opportunity to snap out of this modest little losing streak. The Leafs have won both previous meetings with the Capitals this season, outscoring them 10-5 in the process.
Team Stats
Offense- Goals: 3.53
- Shots: 31.83
- PP/PK Percentage: 21.15
Defense
- Goals: 2.83
- Shots: 32.81
- PP/PK Percentage: 18.54
Capitals at Maple Leafs NHL Betting Trends
- Washington is 2-9 ATS in its last 11 games when playing Toronto
- Washington is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games when playing Toronto
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Washington’s last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
- Toronto is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games at home
- Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto’s last 6 games at home
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction
If there is just one bet that you should play here, my guess is that it would be the OVER, as the previous 3 meetings between these two teams have produced an average of over 7 GPG. I expect more of the same as the Leafs eke out the win.
Score: Washington Capitals 3 – Toronto Maple Leafs 4
