The Toronto Maple Leafs (36-19-8) travel to face off against the Montreal Canadiens (24-29-10) on Saturday, March 9th. This game will be played at Bell Centre in Montreal and televised on ESPN+. Both the Maple Leafs and Canadiens will be looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

Maple Leafs vs Canadiens

The Toronto Maple Leafs Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

On the season, the Maple Leafs have gone 36-19-8 and are currently in 3rd place in the Atlantic Division and 5th place in the Eastern Conference. Over their last ten games, Toronto has gone 7-3, and they are 18-7-6 on the road this season.

When favored, the Maple Leafs have gone 31-14-7, and they have been favored in 52 of their 63 games this season. Against other teams in the Eastern Conference, Toronto has gone 13-19 this year.

So far this season, the Maple Leafs have an average scoring margin of +.5 goals per game. In their 63 games this season, they have 19 wins by multiple goals and 17 wins by just one goal.

Overall, Toronto’s puck line record is 22-41, and they have gone just 5-5 vs. the puck line in their last ten games. Their puck line record as the favorite is just 15-37, including dropping three straight games as the favorite.

In their most recent game, the Maple Leafs fell to the Bruins on the road by a score of 4-1. The Maple Leafs couldn’t find the net offensively in the first or third periods against the Bruins, but they did score one time in the second period. The team’s one goal came when they were in power play. Overall, they took 29 shots on goal and had 10 giveaways.

Coming in as the underdog, Toronto not only lost straight-up but also failed to cover the puck line. With a combined total of 5 goals, the game concluded below the over/under line of 6.

The Montreal Canadiens Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

At 24-29-10, the Canadiens are in 7th place in the Atlantic Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference. In the Eastern Conference, Montreal has gone 12-24 and 4-14 against Atlantic Division opponents. Over their last ten games, the Canadiens have gone just 2-8, and they have gone 2-3 over their last five games.

For the season, Montreal has been the underdog in 58 of their 63 games, and they have gone 20-28-10 in those games. At home, the Canadiens are 12-16-3, and they have gone 12-13-7 on the road.

Montreal enters the game with a puck line record of 40-23 this year, including a mark of 19-12 at home. So far, the Canadiens have 16 wins by just one goal compared to eight victories by multiple goals.

Overall, Montreal’s average scoring margin is at -0.8 goals per game, and they have been the underdog in 58 of their 63 games. In their last ten home games, the Canadiens have a puck line record of 8-2, and their average scoring margin at home is at -0.7 goals per contest.

The Canadiens aim to bounce back following their 4-1 loss on the road to the Hurricanes. In the first period on offense, the Canadiens managed to score one time, but that turned out to be the only scoring they could muster for the entire game. Against Carolina, Montreal’s offense scored their only goal at even strength. They recorded 25 shots on goal overall.

Entering the game as the underdog, Montreal not only suffered a straight-up loss but also failed to cover the puck line. Combining for 5 goals, the game finished below the over/under line of 6.

Toronto Offense Breakdown

On offense, the Maple Leafs are averaging 3.5 goals per game which is 4th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are 4th in the league. Coming into the game, the Maple Leafs have a 20-10 record when they have more shots on goal than their opponent. When they have fewer shots on goal, they are 14-8.

The Maple Leafs’ over/under record this season is 33-28-2. For the season, they have had 34 games that surpassed this game’s over/under line of 6.5. Overall, their games are averaging6.8 goals per game.

Canadiens Offense Breakdown

On offense, the Canadiens are averaging 2.8 goals per game which is 27th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are 27th in the league. Montreal’s offense comes into the game ranked 19th in power play goals. And in terms of shorthanded goals, they are 20th in the NHL.

This season, the Canadiens have an over/under record of 33-28-2. Throughout the season, they have played 33 games that went over the 6.5 over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is 6.4 per game.

Toronto Team Defense

Toronto defense takes on the Canadiens ranked 18th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 29.5 shots per game against Toronto. They also are 7th in shutouts, with 4 shutouts.

Montreal Team Defense

In terms of defense, the Canadiens head into the game ranked 2nd in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 32.7 shots per game against Montreal. So far, they are 27th in shutouts, achieving 1 shutouts.

Maple Leafs vs Canadiens Trends

• Across their last five road contests, Toronto has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 4-1. Their overall mark in these games was 4-1, while averaging 4 goals per game.
• In their last five home games, Montreal has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 3. The team’s record in this stretch was 2-3 while going 4-1.
• Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Canadiens have a strong record vs the puck line going 4-1. Their straight up mark in these contests is 2-3.
• Through their last five matchups as the betting favorite, the Maple Leafs have a good straight up record, but their puck line mark is just 1-4.

Maple Leafs vs Canadiens Prediction

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Canadiens to secure a victory over the Maple Leafs at home. With the moneyline currently set at +168, I’m locking in my bet on the Canadiens straight-up.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Canadiens winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Canadiens straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 6.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.