The Pittsburgh Penguins (1-1-0) travel to face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs (1-1-0) on Saturday, October 12th. This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and televised on NHLN. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.
Penguins vs Maple Leafs
The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Coming Off A Win
Pittsburgh evened their record at 1-1-0 with a 6-3 road win over the Red Wings. The Penguins were underdogs on the puck line, and the total of 9 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.5 goals.
Five different Penguins found the net in this one. After allowing the first goal, Pittsburgh responded with six straight to take control.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Are Coming Off A Win
Toronto picked up their first win of the season, defeating the Devils 4-2. The Maple Leafs covered the puck line as underdogs and the total of 6.5 goals went under with a combined 6 goals. Toronto now sits at 1-1-0 on the season.
Four different players scored for the Maple Leafs, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period. The Devils got on the board with just 42 seconds left in the first, but Toronto added another goal in the second period to help secure the victory.
Pittsburgh Offense Breakdown
Anthony Beauvillier led the Penguins’ offense with two goals on two shots, including Pittsburgh’s first goal at 4:58 in the first period. He added another at 17:05 in the second. Drew O’Connor and Marcus Pettersson each scored, with Pettersson’s goal coming unassisted. Erik Karlsson netted his first goal of the season on a power play at 18:18 in the third period, while Kevin Hayes closed out the scoring with his first goal, making it 6-3 at 7:39 in the third.
The Penguins fired 28 shots on goal and recorded 13 giveaways. They scored once in the first period, added three more in the second, and finished with two goals in the third. Pittsburgh tallied a total of 9 assists in the game, with Evgeni Malkin picking up two.
Maple Leafs Offense Breakdown
Toronto’s offense came out strong, netting three goals in the first period of their 4-2 win over New Jersey. Max Pacioretty got the Leafs going with his first goal of the season, followed by Bobby McMann and Steven Lorentz, who also found the net for the first time this year. John Tavares added a fourth goal in the second period.
The Leafs took 23 shots on goal and recorded 17 giveaways. They finished with 7 assists, including one from Steven Lorentz on McMann’s goal. David Kampf picked up his first assist of the season on Lorentz’s goal.
Pittsburgh Team Defense
Pittsburgh’s defense allowed the first goal just 3:46 into the game and gave up another at 12:32 in the 2nd period, but they held Detroit to just one more goal after that, which came at the 8:13 mark of the 3rd. Goalie Joel Blomqvist made 29 saves with a 90.6% save percentage, and the Penguins’ defense recorded 4 takeaways and 20 hits.
Toronto Team Defense
Defensively, the Maple Leafs will look to build off their last game, where they allowed just 2 goals on 23 shots from the Devils. Goalie Dennis Hildeby made 22 saves, posting a 91.7% save percentage. Toronto’s defense also contributed 4 takeaways, 11 hits, and 27 blocks. Both goals they allowed came late in periods, with one at 19:18 in the 1st and the other at 19:54 in the 2nd.
Penguins vs Maple Leafs Trends
- Across their last five road contests, Pittsburgh has been good against the puck line posting a mark of 4-1. Their overall mark in these games was 3-2, while averaging 4 goals per game.
- Through their last five home games, Toronto has an puck line record of just 1-4. However, their overall record was 1-4 while averaging 2 goals per game.
- The Maple Leafs have played well in their last three games as the betting underdog, going 2-1 straight up and 3-0 against the spread.
- In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Penguins have a straight up record of 2-1, while going 1-2 against the spread.
Penguins vs Maple Leafs Prediction
To those searching for a pure moneyline wager, the Maple Leafs is the clear pick. Still, with a payout of -193, it’s worth thinking about including this bet in a parlay.
For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Penguins to cover. Even if the Maple Leafs secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Penguins should cover the puck line.
For those looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet 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.
Last updated:October 12, 2024 Maple Leafs, Penguins