The Pittsburgh Penguins (36-30-11) travel to face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs (44-23-9) on Monday, April 8th. This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and televised on ESPN+. 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
With just five games remaining in the regular season, the Penguins find themselves in 9th place in the Eastern Conference and 4th in the Metropolitan Division. Their overall record of 36-30-11 gives them 83 points, and they have gone 6-4 in their last ten games.
Pittsburgh has been the underdog in 32 of their 77 games this season, and they have gone 13-15-4 in those games. On the road, the Penguins have gone 15-17-7 this season, and they have won four straight games overall and three straight on the road.
As the underdog, the Penguins have gone 19-13 vs. the puck line this season. Overall, their puck line record is 37-40. In their last ten games, Pittsburgh has gone 6-4 vs. the puck line.
On the road, the Penguins have a puck line record of 19-20, and their average scoring margin away from home is -.1 goals per game. So far, they have won 25 games by multiple goals.
The Penguins played host to the Lightning in their previous game and emerged with a 5-4 win. Against the Lightning, the Penguins’ offense scored in all three periods. In the game, Pittsburgh managed to score all five goals at even strength. They concluded with 28 shots on goal and committed 4 turnovers.
Going into the game, Pittsburgh was the underdog, giving them a win vs. the puck line. The combined total of 9 goals exceeded the over/under line, which was set at 6 goals for the game.
The Toronto Maple Leafs Are Coming Off A Win
As the Maple Leafs prepare to host the Penguins, they find themselves in 5th place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 44-23-9. In their division, Toronto is 3rd and has gone 11-12 against Atlantic opponents.
At home this season, the Maple Leafs are 21-14-3 and have been favored in 61 of their 76 games. Over their last ten games, Toronto has gone 6-4, and they have won four of their last five.
On the season, the Maple Leafs have gone 31-45 against the puck line, including going 14-24 at home. In their games as the favorite, Toronto has gone 20-41 against the puck line.
So far, the Maple Leafs have 26 wins by multiple goals and 18 wins by just one goal. In their last ten games at home, the team has gone just 5-5 against the puck line.
In their most recent matchup, the Maple Leafs played against the Canadiens and won with a score of 4-2. The Maple Leafs offense struggled in the first and third periods versus the Canadiens, but they did score four times in the second period. In the game, Toronto managed to score all four goals at even strength. They concluded with 30 shots on goal and committed 11 turnovers.
Toronto secured a win against the puck line, entering the game as the favorites with a -1.5 goal advantage. With a combined total of 6 goals, the game concluded below the over/under line of 6.5.
Pittsburgh Offense Breakdown
In terms of their offensive performance, the Penguins are averaging 3 goals per game this season, putting them in the 19th spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 6th in the league. This season, the Penguins are 20-18 when getting more shots on goal than their opponents. And in games with fewer shots on goal, they have a 15-11 record.
The Penguins’ over/under record this season is 33-39-5. For the season, they have had 43 games failing to surpass this game’s over/under line of 6.5. Overall, their games are averaging 6 goals per game.
Maple Leafs Offense Breakdown
Offensively, the Maple Leafs come into the game at 3.6 goals per contest placing 3rd in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 8th position in the league. Looking at how the Maple Leafs’ offense is performing during power plays, they are 13th in power play goals and 19th in shorthanded goals.
This season, the over/under record for the Maple Leafs’ is 40-34-2. Over the course of the season, they have had 41 games that exceeded the over/under line of 6.5. On average, their games are averaging 6.8 goals per game.
Pittsburgh Team Defense
In terms of defense, the Penguins head into the game ranked 14th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 30.2 shots per game against Pittsburgh. So far, they are 2nd in shutouts, achieving 7 shutouts.
Toronto Team Defense
Defensively, the Maple Leafs come into the season ranked 22nd in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 29.7 shots per game against Toronto. For the season, they are ranked 11th in shutouts, coming in with 5 shutouts.
Penguins vs Maple Leafs Trends
- The Penguins are 3-0 puck line in their three last road games and 3-0 straight-up.
- In their last five home games, Toronto has averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 3. The team’s record in this stretch was 3-2 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
- As the betting underdog, the Maple Leafs have an puck line record of 3-0 in their last three games. In these matchups their, straight up record was 2-1.
- In their last five games as the betting favorite, the Penguins have a strong straight up record of 4-1. In addition, their puck line record was 3-2 in these scenarios.
Penguins vs Maple Leafs Prediction
When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Maple Leafs to defeat the Penguins while playing at home. Given the current moneyline odds at -162, I’m placing a wager on the Maple Leafs to win outright.
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.
If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing 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:April 8, 2024 Maple Leafs, Penguins