NHL Odds: PK and the Predators Play Host to the Maple Leafs
With less than 10 games remaining in the regular season, both the Nashville Predators and Toronto Maple Leafs sit comfortably in playoff positions. The Preds were the first team in the NHL to secure a playoff spot, but if Toronto hopes to establish itself as a Stanley Cup contender, they’ll need to find a way to beat the best team in NHL.
The Nashville Predators (48-14-10) lead the NHL in points and have run away with the Western Conference’s Central Division. They’ve won 12 of their last 13 games and seem to be piquing at the right time of year in the lead up to the playoffs. Led by PK Subban on the backend, the Predators present a wicked combination of defensive prowess (first in the league in goals against) and offensive punch (seventh in the league in goals for). They’ll look to extend that streak this Thursday at home.
The Toronto Maple Leafs (43-23-7) have been struggling to get healthy in recent weeks. Their star, Auston Matthews, has been sidelined for 10 games with a shoulder injury, and over that period, the Leafs have won just 5 out of 10 games. Matthews will be critical for the Leafs’ success heading into the playoffs, as they prepare to make a long run to the Stanley Cup.
NHL Odds: Toronto Heads to Music City to Take on the Preds
The Toronto Maple Leafs hope to get their ailing superstar, Auston Matthews, back this Thursday as the team gets ready to face the top squad in the NHL. The Leafs have struggled without the 20-year-old, going 5-3-2 over that period. If he can return this Thursday, the dynamics of this matchup will shift significantly.
At the other end of the ice, the Nashville Predators are in cruise control. They’ve won 12 of their last 13 games and have all but clinched the Western Conference crown. Their starting goaltender, Pekka Rinne, is coming off of a 4-0 shutout and will look to continue that streak against the Leafs. Game time is 8 PM ET.
Don’t look now, but Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators are already in playoff mode. They’ve lost just one game in their last 13 and sit in first in the Western Conference. The Maple Leafs will need to be at the top of their game if they hope to cool off Nashville. The puck drops at 8 PM ET.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are coming off of a regulation loss to the top team in the Eastern Conference and will be up against the top team in the Western Conference this Thursday. These games act as measuring sticks for the Leafs, so it’ll be important for them to show the league that they can challenge Stanley Cup contenders.
The banged-up Toronto Maple Leafs continue their southern American road trip on Thursday as they pull into Nashville to take on the first-place Predators. The Leafs will be in tough against the top defensive squad in the NHL. Look for the fifth-ranked Leafs’ offense to pull out all the stops against Pekka Rinne and the Preds.
In the lead up to the NHL playoffs, Thursday’s matchup between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators shows what both teams are made of. In a true clash between offense and defense, this game will test both teams’ strengths.
