Air Canada Centre will be the site for an Eastern Conference showdown as the Washington Capitals visit Toronto to meet the Maple Leafs. CBC Sports will air the matchup, and the opening face-off is at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 25.
Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs Odds
Toronto is 14-9 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 1.4 units this season. That winning percentage, ranked 2nd in the Atlantic Division in this young season, is a welcome improvement over the 40-42 record from the 2016-17 season campaign. Among the teams 23 games this season, 11 have gone over the total, while nine have gone under and just three have pushed. The team is 8-4 SU at home this year.
The Maple Leafs have converted on 21.6 percent of their power play chances this year, a figure that’s good enough for 10th-best in the league. On the other hand, their penalty kill is ranked 14th overall, and they’ve successfully killed off 80.8 percent of all penalties.
As a collective unit, the Maple Leafs have been penalized 4.0 times per game overall this season, 4.0 per game over their past five games total, and 3.6 per game over their last five at home. The teams had to stave off opponent power plays for 8.8 minutes per game over their last 10 matchups, overall.
Averaging 30.9 saves per game with a .918 save percentage, Frederik Andersen (12 wins, eight losses, and one OT loss) has been the top option in goal for Toronto this year. If the Leafs, however, decide to give him the night off, head coach Mike Babcock may turn to Curtis McElhinney (2-1-1 record, .910 save percentage, 3.05 goals against average).
Auston Matthews and Nazem Kadri will each spearhead the attack for the Maple Leafs. Matthews (21 points) has tallied 12 goals and nine assists and has recorded two or more points on seven separate occasions this year. Kadri has 11 goals and nine assists to his name and has recorded at least one point in 15 contests.
Washington is 12-11 straight up (SU) and has lost 1.1 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 23 regular season outings, 12 of its games have gone over the total, while 11 have gone under and none have pushed. As a road team so far, the Capitals are 5-7 SU.
The Capitals have converted on 21.1 percent of their power play chances this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 24th overall and it’s successfully killed off 77.4 percent of all penalties.
Washington’s skaters have been whistled for penalties 4.9 times per game this season, and 5.6 per game over their last five match ups. The teams been forced to kill penalties 11.4 minutes per game over their last five road outings.
Braden Holtby (29.2 saves per game) has been the primary choice in the net for Washington. Holtby has 12 wins and five losses to his credit, and has registered a .920 save percentage and 2.62 goals against average this year.
For the visiting Capitals, the offense will run through Evgeny Kuznetsov (six goals, 20 assists) and Alex Ovechkin (14 goals, seven assists).
Washington Capitals at Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Capitals, O/U – Under
Betting Trends
- Power plays and penalty kills could be critical in tonight’s game. The Capitals are 4-1 in games where they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 6-2 when they’re in the box for fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Maple Leafs are 5-3 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 9-7 when their penalty minutes are in the single digits.
- Washington is 2-0 in games decided by a shootout this season while Toronto is 1-1 in shootouts.
- The under has hit in four of Toronto’s last five games.
- Toronto skaters have averaged 17.6 giveaways over its last five home games, a rise over its season average of 12.7 giveaways per game (ranked 27th overall).
- Washington is ranked 20th this season with 10.3 giveaways per game. That figure has trended higher, as the teams averaged 12.1 giveaways over its last 10 games and 11.8 giveaways over its last five.
- The Leafs this season have tallied the ninth-most hits in the NHL (22.5 per game).
