The Florida Panthers are struggling at the wrong time of year and will look to get back on track when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Florida Panthers (+128) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (-154) Total: 6.5 (O -164, U +134)It looked like the Panthers were on the right track as the middle of March approached, but they faltered and are now desperate to pick up points. The Panthers sit three points behind Pittsburgh for the final wild-card spot and six behind the New York Islanders for the top position. They’ll need a solid effort to get by the Maple Leafs tonight.
Entering this matchup, the Panthers have lost four in a row, posting a 5-4-1 record over their last ten games, while the Maple Leafs are 6-3-1.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Panthers are expected to continue Sergei Bobrovsky, while the Maple Leafs should go with Ilya Samsonov. The Panthers netminder has a 24-20-3 record with a .901 save percentage, while Samsonov is 24-9-3 with a .914 save percentage. With the Maple Leafs’ strong defensive numbers, they should have an edge in goal.
The Panthers might need these points much more than Toronto does, but it’s difficult to trust them. Toronto has already defeated the Panthers twice this season, and it’s not difficult to envision that happening a third time. As a result, target the Leafs on the moneyline at -154.
Best Bet: Maple Leafs moneyline (-154)
The first two matchups between these clubs saw nine and eight goals scored. The total for tonight’s set at 6.5, with the over priced at -164 and the under at +134. Both teams are top ten in goals scored per game, but the Maple Leafs are much better in goals allowed, sitting ninth to Florida’s 24th. Over the Panthers’ last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in all five, while the Maple Leafs have seen that in four. With recent trends and their two previous matchups, the over is the direction bettors should lean.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-164)
There are a lot of high-scoring players in this matchup, but the Leafs have been finding a lot more offensive success lately. Mitch Marner has been a key cog, scoring 94 points in 73 games. Targeting his appetizing price of +188 to score is the direction to take here.
Best Prop: Mitch Marner to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+188)
