A couple of teams that’ve positioned themselves firmly in the playoff hunt, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Calgary Flames clash at the Scotiabank Saddledome for an East-versus-West showdown. Sportsnet West will showcase the game, which gets going at 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 28.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Calgary Flames Odds
Toronto (-105) is entering this one as the underdog to Calgary (-115) and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at an even 6 goals (-115 for the over, -105 for the under).
Toronto is 15-10 straight up (SU) and has earned 1.1 units for moneyline bettors this season. 13 of its matches have gone over the total, while nine have gone under and just three have pushed. As a road team this season, the Leafs are 7-5 SU.
Toronto has converted on 22.1 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 15th overall, and the teams successfully killed off 80.7 percent of all penalties.
The Leafs, as a collective unit, have been penalized just 3.8 times per game overall this season, and 3.2 per game over its past five matchups. The team’s had to kill penalties just 8.0 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Boasting a .918 save percentage and 31.5 saves per game, Frederik Andersen (13-8-1) has been the best option in goal for Toronto this season. If it chooses to rest him, however, the team could roll with Curtis McElhinney (2-2), who has a .900 save percentage and 3.07 goals against average this year.
The visiting Maple Leafs have relied on Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri heavily this year. Matthews has 23 points on 12 goals and 11 assists, and has recorded multiple points in seven different games. Kadri has 11 goals and 10 assists to his creditand has logged at least one point in 16 games.
On the other side of the rink, Calgary is 13-10 straight up (SU) and has earned 1.6 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 23 regular season outings, 12 of its games have gone over the total, while 10 have gone under and just one has pushed. This season, the teams 6-5 SU as the home team.
The Flames have converted on just 22.2 percent of their power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 32nd overall, and it’s successfully killed off 73.8 percent of all penalties.
Flames players have been whistled for penalties 4.3 times per game in total this season, and 2.6 per game over their last five at home. The team’s had to kill penalties just 6.8 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Mike Smith (30.3 saves per game) has been the top netminder in goal for the Flames. Smith has 12 wins, eight losses, and one OT loss to his credit and has recorded a .922 save percentage and 2.65 goals against average this year.
The home team offense will be led by Johnny Gaudreau (11 goals, 23 assists).
Toronto Maple Leafs at Calgary Flames Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Maple Leafs, O/U – Over
Betting Trends
- Power plays and penalty kills may be even more key than usual tonight. The Maple Leafs are 5-3 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 10-8 when they’re in the box for fewer than 10 penalty minutes, total. The Flames are 10-3 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 9-6 when their penalty minutes are in the single digits.
- Toronto is 1-1 in games decided by a shootout this season while Calgary is 2-0 in shootouts.
- The total has gone under in three of Calgary’s last five games.
- Calgary skaters have averaged 12.0 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 9.4 giveaways per game (ranked 14th).
- Toronto skaters have averaged 7.2 giveaways over its last five home games, an improvement from its season average of 12.6 giveaways per game (ranked 28th overall).
- Toronto skaters have accounted for the leagues ninth-most hits per game (22.8).
