Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Preview: Tale of the Tape
First Round Rematch Looms Large for Both Clubs
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Tampa Bay Lightning Betting Preview
One of the most anticipated playoff series gets underway on Tuesday night as the three-time defending Eastern Conference Champions Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second consecutive year in a first round series. The Maple Leafs are finally looking to snap their near two-decade drought of winning a playoff series, with the ultimate goal of ending the longest Stanley Cup drought in the league at 55 years. Meanwhile, the Bolts, who have played a ton of meaningful hockey with this core group of stars, haven’t looked as sharp leading into this postseason compared to years past. Let’s take a deeper dive into the Maple Leafs vs Lightning Odds in this Eastern Conference Quarterfinal preview.
TALE OF THE TAPE
Toronto Maple Leafs 50-21-11 (111 Points)
Tampa Bay Lightning 46-30-6 (98 Points)
Maple Leafs: Home (27-8-6) Road (23-13-5)
Lightning: Home (28-8-5) Road (18-22-1)
Series Schedule (Best-of-Seven format)
Tue., April 18: Lightning at Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m. ET
Thu., April 20: Lightning at Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET
Sat., April 22: Maple Leafs at Lightning, 7 p.m. ET
Mon., April 24: Maple Leafs at Lightning, 7:30 p.m. ET
Thur., April 27: Lightning at Maple Leafs, Time TBA
Sat., April 29: Maple Leafs at Lightning, Time TBA
Mon., May 1: Lightning at Maple Leafs, Time TBA
Head-to-Head Series in 22-23 Regular Season
April 11th, 2023: Toronto 4, Tampa Bay 3
TB (home) -220/TOR (road) +185, Total: Over 6.5
December 20th, 2022: Toronto 4, Tampa Bay 1
TOR (home) -140/NYR (road) +120, Total: Under 6
December 3rd, 2022: Tampa Bay 4, Toronto 3 (OT)
TB (home) -135/TOR (road) -115, Total: Over 6
Series Trends and Angles
- The Over is 10-3 in the last thirteen meetings.
- The Home Team has won five of the last seven meetings
- The Favored Team has won five of the last seven meetings
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Top Three Scorers and Starting Goaltender:
– Mitch Marner (80 GP, 30 Goals, 69 Assists, 99 Pts)
– William Nylander (82 GP, 40 Goals, 47 Assists, 87 Pts)
– Auston Matthews (7 GP, 22 Goals, 52 Assists, 74 Pts)
– Ilya Samsonov (42 GP (40 starts), 27-10-5, 2.33 Goals-Against; .919% Save Percentage with 4 shutouts)
The Toronto Maple Leafs once again match-up with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round, exactly like they did last season. Although Head Coach Sheldon Keefe’s club looks a lot better a year later, especially when you look at some of the Trade Deadline acquisitions that General Manager Kyle Dubas made, bringing in veterans like Ryan O’Reilly and Luke Schenn and gritty depth players like Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty.
The emergence of Ilya Samsonov as a top goaltender option was a welcome sight to Leafs Nation after being let go by the Washington Capitals. The 26-year old Russian native went 27-10-5 on the season in 40 starts with a 2.33 goals-against average.
This Maple Leafs team is built to finally breakthrough and get out of the first round for the first time since the 2004 playoffs, but they will have to avoid the pressure as much as they can, stick to their game plan and press the tempo against a weakened but still dangerous playoff team in the Tampa Bay Lightning.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
Top Three Scorers and Starting Goaltender:
– Nikita Kucherov (82 GP, 30 Goals, 83 Assists, 113 Pts)
– Brayden Point (82 GP, 51 Goals, 44 Assists, 95 Pts)
– Steven Stamkos (81 GP, 34 Goals, 50 Assists, 84 Pts)
– Andrei Vasilevskiy (60 GP (60 starts) 34-22-4, 2.65 Goals-Against; .915% Save Percentage with 4 shutouts)
The Tampa Bay Lightning, arguably the latest dynasty in the National Hockey League, had a bit of a bumpy road getting back to the postseason after three straight years representing the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final.
A team known for being fierce off of a loss and avoiding long losing streaks, the Bolts somewhat limped into the playoffs, losing eight of their last 12 games in the regular season.
Injuries didn’t hit the club too hard, there were just times that Tampa Bay looked fatigued or disinterested in games, and that’s why they are opening this series on the road and as underdogs in a series for only the second time in the last five postseasons.
The last time it occurred was last year in the second round, after the Lightning beat Toronto in seven games, Tampa Bay opened as +135 underdogs against the Florida Panthers, who they would quickly eliminate in a four-game sweep.
The experience factor and having one of, if not the best goaltender in the world in Andrei Vasilevskiy will always give this Lightning club a puncher’s chance in a best-of-seven series, but they will certainly face a tough task ahead with this Maple Leafs team focused on finally breaking through in the playoffs.
SERIES ODDS AND PROP PRICES
Toronto Maple Leafs (Money Line to Win Series -160)
Tampa Bay Lightning (Money Line to Win Series +135)
Maple Leafs win in 4 Games: +1100
Maple Leafs win in 5 Games: +500
Maple Leafs win in 6 Games: +500
Maple Leafs win in 7 Games: +425
Lightning win in 4 Games: +1200
Lightning win in 5 Games: +750
Lightning win in 6 Games: +475
Lightning win in 7 Games: +550
Series Spread: TOR -1.5 Games +130/-160 TB +1.5 Games
Series Spread: TOR -2.5 Games +275/-350 TB +2.5 Games
Over/Under Total Games:
4.5 Games: (Over -800/Under +550)
5.5 Games: (Over -185/Under +145)
6.5 Games: (Over +195/Under -250)
Exact Games Played:
4 Games: +550
5 Games: +275
6 Games: +200
7 Games: +195
Toronto Maple Leafs Keys to Winning This Series
They will have to control everything in the first two games. The crowds will need to be loud, the coaches have to be fully prepared for Plans A, B, and C, if needed, and most importantly, the players have to keep focused on the goals at hand. Don’t let the chatter and the “Curse” talks distract them. This is a clean slate and with a Tampa Bay club that really looks nothing like the team they faced one year ago. Toronto should be able to finally end their streak and advance to the second round.
Tampa Bay Lightning Keys to Winning This Series
Anything is possible with this club and the talent they possess. Whatever gear they were driving in the last three postseasons, they need to find that speed right away and get focused for what’s in front of them. Their legacy won’t be tarnished if they fall in this series, but they know Toronto will be coming at them with everything they have in the tank and then some. If the Bolts can stay out of the penalty box and limit their mistakes, they can make this another down to the wire series like last season.
Check out all the updated National Hockey League NHL Player Stats, NHL Standings, lineups, future odds, team stats, recent news, NHL matchup predictions, picks and parlays and betting tips, right here at Point Spreads.
Follow us on Twitter
