Two of Canada’s top threats are set to face off, with the Toronto Maple Leafs visiting the Calgary Flames.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Toronto Maple Leafs (+100) vs. Calgary Flames (-120) Total: 6.5 (O -115, U -105)The Maple Leafs are set to play for a consecutive night in Western Canada after dropping a 5-2 affair to the Edmonton Oilers yesterday. It’s been an active two weeks for the Leafs in the trade market, and they’re still trying to figure out the forward lines and defensive pairings. On the other hand, the Flames are desperate for points, looking to stay in the running for one of the final Western Conference playoff positions. The Flames are slight home favorites on the moneyline at -120, while the Maple Leafs are priced at +100.
This will be the second meeting of the year between the clubs, with the Maple Leafs picking up a 5-4 victory at home. Entering this contest, the Maple Leafs are 6-4 over their last ten games, while the Flames are 3-4-3.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Maple Leafs are expected to start Joseph Woll, while the Flames should counter with Jacob Markstrom. The Maple Leafs’ netminder has a 1-1 record with a .929 save percentage, while Markstrom is 15-15-8 with a .887 save percentage. It’s hard to give an edge to either, but we’ll side with the experience with Markstrom.
There’s a lot to like about the Maple Leafs roster, but the Flames are coming off a solid showing against the Boston Bruins. Calgary needs this more than Toronto, which leads us to the home side on the moneyline at -120.
Best Bet: Flames moneyline (-120)
Goal scoring was a theme in their first matchup in December, which saw the teams combine for nine goals. The Maple Leafs are a top-ten team in goals scored and allowed per game, while the Flames are a middle-of-the-pack team in both categories. Over the Maple Leafs’ last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in three, while the Flames have seen that in four. Recent trends make it hard to look away from the over 6.5 at -115.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-115)
The Maple Leafs have more offensive talent, but the Flames have players that should be targeted. Nazem Kadri will be playing against his former club and has had a solid first season with Calgary. He’s tallied 45 points in 61 games and has more talent than his point totals indicate. As a result, we like Kadri’s price to light the lamp at +184.
Best Prop: Nazem Kadri to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+184)
