The Toronto Maple Leafs (26-10-7) face the Boston Bruins (32-5-4) Saturday at TD Garden. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. (NHL Network).
The Maple Leafs are coming off a 4-1 loss in Detroit Thursday night and now face a tough one on the road against another Original 6 team. Despite Thursday’s loss, Toronto is still 7-3-1 in the past 11 games overall.
The Bruins suffered a rare loss, falling 3-0 against the Seattle Kraken Thursday night. That loss snapped a 4-game winning streak, and it snapped a 14-game point streak.
Maple Leafs at Bruins odds
- Moneyline (ML): Maple Leafs +140 (bet $100 to win $140) | Bruins -160 (bet $160 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Maple Leafs +1.5 (-180) | Bruins -1.5 (+140)
- Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -135 | U: +115)
Maple Leafs at Bruins projected goalies
Ilya Samsonov (12-4-1, 2.33 GAA, .914 SV%, 2 SO) vs Linus Ullmark (22-2-1, 1.88 GAA, .938 SV%, 2 SO)
Samsonov allowed 3 goals on 22 shots in Thursday’s 4-1 loss in Detroit, and he has been a little up-and-down so far in January. He is 1-1-1 with a 2.94 GAA and .883 SV% in 3 outings in the month. The loss in Detroit was rare, as he entered that start 8-1-1 in the previous 10 outings.
Speaking of rare losses, Ullmark stopped 28 of the 30 shots he faced against the Kraken, but it was just his 2nd loss in regulation this season. It was the first time he received zero goals of a support, too.
Maple Leafs at Bruins picks and predictions
Prediction
Bruins 4, Maple Leafs 2
Moneyline
The BRUINS (-160) are moderate favorites at home, looking to bounce back after the stunning loss to the Kraken.
The B’s have managed 39 wins in the past 51 home games – a winning percentage of .765. They’re also 8-0 in the past 8 games after scoring 2 or fewer goals in the previous outing.
In addition, the Maple Leafs (+140) are 4-9 in the past 13 trips to Boston, and the underdog is 2-6 in the past 8 in the series.
Puck line/Against the spread
The BRUINS -1.5 (+140) are a decent play on the puck line at plus-money.
While Boston lost last time out against Seattle, it is still 3-1 in the past 4 games on the puck line as a favorite.
The Maple Leafs +1.5 (-180) haven’t been an underdog since Dec. 6, and Toronto is 6-0 in the past 6 games as a ‘dog on the puck line. So, there is some risk here.
Over/Under
OVER 5.5 (-135) is the lean, ever so slightly.
While the Under is 4-1 in the past 5 games for the Leafs, the Over is 37-16-3 in the past 56 games on the road, and 6-2-1 in the previous 9 meetings with the B’s.
The Under is 5-2 in the past 7 games for the Bruins, but the Over is an impressive 3-1-1 in the past 5 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.