For the second year in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning are set to face off in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Tampa Bay Lightning (+132) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (-160) Total: 5.5 (O -132, U +108)When the NHL shifted its playoff format, they had rivalries in mind, which is what’s happening with the Maple Leafs and Lightning. Last year, Tampa Bay got the better of Toronto in a seven-game series, but the Leafs are again favored in this matchup. Toronto is listed as a home favorite for Game 1 on the moneyline at -160, while the Lightning are +132.
The Maple Leafs and Lightning faced each other three times during the regular season, which saw Toronto win two. Still, when will the Leafs win a playoff round? They made necessary moves at the trade deadline, but the Lightning have been able to turn it on at this time of year, making three straight Stanley Cup Final appearances.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup for Game 1, the Lightning will start Andrei Vasilevskiy between the pipes, while the Maple Leafs will counter with Ilya Samsonov. The Lightning netminder was 34-22-4 during the regular season with a .915 save percentage. In his first year with the Maple Leafs, Samsonov went 27-10-5 with a .919 save percentage. Even though Samsonov had slightly better numbers, Vasilevskiy has a playoff reputation and can take over games.
Toronto has home ice in the series and knows the importance of a fast start. As much as you’d like to believe the Lightning can flip a switch and turn it on, the Leafs played much better down the stretch. We have far more confidence in a consistent performance from the Leafs in Game 1. Look for the Maple Leafs to take a one-game series lead.
Best Bet: Maple Leafs moneyline (-160)
During their three regular-season matchups, these teams scored seven, five, and seven goals. The total for tonight is set at 5.5, with the over priced at -132, while the under sits at +108. During their seven-game series last season, five of the seven games saw six or more goals scored, with the outliers being Games 1 and 7. Both teams are strong offensively, but Game 1 has a feeling-out process, so there’s value in backing the under 5.5 at +108.
Best Bet: Under 5.5 (+108)
The Leafs will have the last change and will dictate the matchups. One player to watch will be William Nylander, who has quietly been one of the Maple Leafs’ top performers during their last two playoff matchups. He was heating up down the stretch and has scored eight goals over the team’s last 15 playoff games. At +158 to find the back of the net in Game 1, there’s value with Nylander.
Best Prop: William Nylander to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+158)
