Can The Leafs Finally Top Boston in the Playoffs?
The Maple Leafs vs Bruins Preview Has Toronto Barking as the Underdog
Dynamic Scorers Matthews and Pastrnak Battle This Series
The Bruins have had their way with the Maple Leafs in the playoffs. Will it be more of the same in the only opening-round Stanley Cup playoff series between Original Six franchises? The Leafs vs Bruins preview has Boston favored yet again but not by as much as in recent playoff matchups.
Boston was one of the best NHL teams all season but squandered a chance to win the Atlantic Division by losing its last two games. Meanwhile, Toronto heads into the postseason on a four-game losing streak.
The Bruins have won five consecutive series against the Maple Leafs. The last time Toronto got the best of the Bruins in the postseason was in 1959. The Bruins beat the Maple Leafs in 2013, 2018, and 2019 with the series going the full seven games each time. Boston won all four games during the regular season with three of them landing under the total.
The NHL’s latest lines have Boston at +190 to cover the 1½-goal puck line with the Maple Leafs priced at -230 as the underdog. Boston is priced at -120 to win Saturday’s series opener with Toronto at even odds to steal Game 1 on the road.
Boston has -125 odds to win the series compared to +105 odds for the Maple Leafs.
When looking at Stanley Cup odds, Boston is seventh at +1000 for the best odds to win the Stanley Cup. Toronto is tied for ninth at +1400 in the NHL playoff odds.
Game 1
Maple Leafs vs Bruins 
Records: Toronto Maple Leafs (46-26-10), Boston Bruins (47-20-15)
Day, Time: Location: TD Garden, Boston, MT
Streaming: NESN, TBS
Matthews Ready to Reverse the Rocket Richard Trophy Jinx?
Since Sidney Crosby led the Pittsburgh Penguins to the 2017 Stanley Cup title and rival Alexander Ovechkin accomplished the same feat in 2018, no player who led the NHL in goals during the NHL regular season has lifted Lord Stanley’s Cup at the end of the playoffs.
That is the scenario facing Auston Matthews after he won the Rocket Richard Trophy for the third time in the last four years. That is something to consider for the Maple Leafs vs Bruins preview.
Matthews has been at least a point-per-game player in each of the last two postseasons with nine goals and 11 assists in 18 playoff games. Can he do the same against a Bruins team that saw perennial Selke Trophy front-runner Patrice Bergeron and fellow center David Krejci retire at the end of the 2022-23 season?
Toronto players have spoken about how the unsuccessful quest to get Matthews his 70th goal of the season resulted in the Maple Leafs getting away from the style that has them back in the playoffs.
The total went over in each of the last five games for the Maple Leafs.
Bruins Ready to Load Up?
One of the questions facing the Boston Bruins is how much head coach Jim Montgomery will play his two best forwards together in 5-on-5 action.
David Pastrnak had another huge season with 47 goals and 110 points to finish among the NHL scoring leaders but Marchand’s production fell off without his longtime linemate Bergeron setting him up.
When looking at the Maple Leafs vs Bruins preview, the Bruins would prefer to keep the two star wingers on different lines to give Boston multiple scoring lines. However, Boston scored just one goal in the last two games in the regular season so it remains to be seen what Montgomery will do if scoring chances are hard to come by early in the series.
Just 18 of Boston’s 41 home games have gone over the total.
Maple Leafs vs Bruins Injury Update
Forwards Maxi Domi and Bobby McMann are questionable for the Maple Leafs while defensemen John Klingberg and Jake Muzzin as well as forward Calle Jarnkrok are out.
Defenseman Brandon Carlo is questionable for the Bruins and Boston is already without defenseman Derek Forbort.
Maple Leafs vs Bruins Betting Preview
Yes, Boston won all four games against Toronto during the regular season but the Bruins didn’t always look like the better team while capturing all four of those games.
Both teams added veteran forwards to their teams and this is the time of the year when players like Pat Maroon and James van Riemsdyk for the Bruins and Todd Bertuzzi for the Maple Leafs could make their presence felt.
Boston has won seven of its last 10 games as the home favorite with the Bruins covering against the puck line in just four of those matchups. The Maple Leafs are 2-4 outright and 3-5 against the spread in the last six NHL games as the road underdog.
In the 12 previous home games for the Bruins against Toronto in the playoffs, the average Moneyline for the Bruins was at -165 and +140 for the Maple Leafs so the Bruins could be at risk for a second-straight first-round exit.
Boston is 38-28-11 as the favorite this season while the Maple Leafs went 6-9-2 as the underdog in the regular season.
Toronto is 18-23 against the Las Vegas odds on the road.
Boston has seen seven of its last eight matchups with Eastern Conference teams go under the total. Eight of Boston’s last nine games finished under the total.
The total is set at 6 for Game 1 and don’t be surprised to see it land under the total even though the total went over in five of Toronto’s last six games against Eastern Conference teams.
For NHL betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
