Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes will meet in the most interesting match of the NHL 2021-22 action on Monday evening. Both teams have been running hot lately, and they look forward to keeping their winning streaks intact.
Toronto is still in the game for the pole position in its division, and they want to stay in the top-spot battle. The home side is full of confidence, but they face a very challenging rival. On the other hand, Carolina has also played very well lately, keeping the top spot in their division intact. The away side will search for another victory on the road.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Will they continue the winning run?
The Maple Leafs have enjoyed an excellent form lately, as they managed to celebrate five times in a row. That streak launched them to 3rd place in the Atlantic Division, but they have a chance to fight for the top spot since they have five games in hand over the Panthers. Toronto is at a 29-10-3 record, being eight points behind Florida. The hosts go to this game after a comfortable 7-1 victory away to the Devils in the latest round. Mitchell Marner led them to the victory with a brace and a pair of assists, while Jack Campbell had 31 saves and conceded just one goal.
Auston Matthews has been the most productive player for the Maple Leafs, being the top scorer with 29 goals and leading the offensive charts with 51 points. John Tavares and William Nylander have contributed with 40 points each, while Morgan Rielly is the best assistant with 33 and a total of 38 points. Mitchell Marner and Alexander Kerfoot are the remaining two skaters that reached a 30-point mark. On the goal, Jack Campbell has been the first choice and has made 32 appearances. Toronto’s leading goalie concedes 2.30 goals per contest, having a .925 save percentage.
Expected Line-Up: Jack Campbell, Morgan Rielly, T.J. Brodie, William Nylander, Auston Matthews, Michael Bunting
with best odds
Carolina Hurricanes – Can they beat a strong rival on the road?
The Hurricanes can also be very satisfied with their latest performances. They booked four straight wins and remained joint-first with the Rangers in the Metropolitan Division. However, Carolina has five games in hand and stands at a 31-9-2 record. The visitors have been very tight in defense this season, and they are the only team in the Eastern Conference that has conceded less than 100 goals. Carolina heads to this game after beating the Sharks 2-1 at home, after another excellent defensive display. Frederik Andersen was almost unbeatable, conceding only once and having a .964 save percentage.
Sebastian Aho has contributed the most to the Hurricanes’ offense, topping the most significant charts. He is the best scorer and assistant with 19 goals and 26 assists, and consequently, a player with the highest number of points – 45. Andrei Svechnikov has produced 38 points, while Tony DeAngelo, Teuvo Teravainen, and Vincent Trocheck have 30+ points each. Besides them, four other skaters chipped in with 20 or more points. On the other hand, Frederik Andersen has spent most of the time between the pipes, allowing only 2.01 goals per contest.
Expected Line-Up: Frederik Andersen, Ethan Bear, Brett Pesce, Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis
Expert Pick #1 – Maple Leafs to win (Inc. OT and Pen.) @-135
This game could easily go either way, as both teams have played very well over the past couple of weeks. Carolina has a bigger gap between their latest and the upcoming game, and the Maple Leafs could capitalize on that on the home ice. Therefore, I’m backing the hosts as my first pick.
Expert Pick #2 – Over 6.5 @+100
Although the Hurricanes are very tough to beat in the back, and they allowed only two goals in the last two games, I anticipate a high-scoring march here. Toronto is very talented in the final third, and only two of their previous seven games stayed under a 6.5 margin. Give me the Over as the second bet.
Expert Pick #3 – Maple Leafs Over 3.5 @+110
The Maple Leafs scored 20 goals on the previous three occasions, and I expect them to continue their excellent offensive work. It’s a bit riskier pick having in mind that Carolina tops the defensive charts, but I cannot resist the plus money odds.
