The NHL postseason churns ahead on Tuesday, and we're coming off of a fantastic Monday slate that saw a pair of overtime games and a barnburning 6-5 Kings win in Los Angeles. I'll dive into three of tonight's games from a betting perspective, and let you know where I'm laying my money on the ice. Here’s our top NBA picks and predictions for today’s game Senators vs. Maple Leafs.
Tuesday's NHL Best Bets: Senators vs. Maple Leafs
(Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook)
Senators vs. Maple Leafs
The first playoff edition of this year's Battle of Ontario was more like a massacre, as the Maple Leafs (1-0) steamrolled the Senators in a 6-2 series-opening game on Sunday. These Atlantic Division opponents meet again tonight for Game 2, and puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON.
I really like the way that the Leafs are structured this season. They brought in a Stanley Cup-winning coach in Craig Berube, and he instantly turned this organization into a tougher, defensive-minded team. Obviously, they still have the top-end offensive talent, but they're much more sound on the defensive end.
Over the final 10 games of the regular season, Toronto was the best defensive team in the NHL, logging a GAA of 1.49 during the stretch. The Leafs were also a perfect 2-for-2 (100%) on the penalty kill in Game 1 of this series. If they're sharp on the PK this series, then the Senators are going to have a tough time scoring goals. Ottawa was just 27th in 5-on-5 scoring this season, averaging 2.12 goals per 60 minutes during even strength. They really just don't have the top-end scoring talent that can cause issues for the red-hot Anthony Stolarz, who was 21-8-3 with a 2.14 GAA (third) and a .926 SV% (first) this season. I'll take the Sens to stay under 2.5 goals tonight.
Pick: Senators Team Total Under 2.5 Goals (-125)
