The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to extend their current winning streak on home ice to three games when they host the resurgent Nashville Predators as -150 home favourites on the NHL odds on Thursday night at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Toronto returned home riding a three-game losing streak after getting swept on last week’s swing through California, but has produced steady results on home ice, posting wins in five of seven going into Thursday night’s matchup at Scotiabank Arena.
The Maple Leafs picked up a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning as -120 home chalk on Tuesday night to maintain a narrow three-point lead over the Florida Panthers in the battle for third place in the Atlantic Division.
Toronto shooters have scored on just five occasions over the team’s past four outings, but the Maple Leafs have received steady goaltending in recent games. With Tuesday’s victory, the Maple Leafs have now surrendered just four total goals over their past three outings, and sport an 2.55 team goals-against average over their past nine contests. With low-scoring affairs becoming commonplace, the UNDER has prevailed in four of Toronto’s past five outings, and has gone 9-6 over its past 15 at sports betting sites.
Low scoring has also marked recent contests involving the Predators, who ride a three-game win streak into Toronto as +130 underdogs. Nashville is coming off a 4-2 victory in Montreal as a -115 wager on Tuesday, ending a run of two straight shutout wins. The Predators’ resurgence has lifted them into the Western Conference playoff picture, where they remain in a tight battle for a wild card spot with Winnipeg and Vancouver. However, they dropped a 5-2 home decision to the Maple Leafs in the only meeting between these teams earlier this season, and have posted just one victory in their past three visits to Toronto.
Elsewhere on the Thursday NHL odds, the Canucks will try to keep pace with Nashville as they visit Arizona as slim +120 underdogs. Vancouver hits the road for two games after posting a 5-4 win over the visiting New York Islanders as a -125 wager on Tuesday, but has lost six of seven on the road. The Canucks have also lost nine of 12 to the Coyotes, who open a season-defining five-game homestand as -140 favourites.
As well, the Calgary Flames aim to extend the Islanders’ losing streak to eight games as they host New York as sturdy -145 favourites, while the Canadiens aim to halt a three-game slide that has snuffed out their playoff chances as they host the Buffalo Sabres as -145 chalk.
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