NHL Best Bets: Maple Leafs vs. Capitals Game Picks

The surging Toronto Maple Leafs will look to continue their great stretch of play when they visit the Washington Capitals tonight.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Toronto’s win streak ended when they dropped a contest to the New York Rangers on Thursday, but they’ve still been among the hottest teams in the NHL with an 8-1-1 record over their past ten games. Things have also been looking upwards for the Capitals, who sit at 6-3-1 over that same sample size. These teams have already met once this year on October 13, which saw the Maple Leafs pick up a 3-2 victory. 

There have been questions about if this is it for Washington’s core. Do they still have another run left in them, or will injuries and age cause their eventual demise this season? They’ve dug themselves out of an early season hole and have gotten back in the playoff picture, but there’s still reason to wonder if this team has it in them to compete. 

Looking toward the expected goalie matchup tonight, the Maple Leafs will lean on Ilya Samsonov, while the Capitals have confirmed they’ll start Charlie Lindgren. The Maple Leafs netminder has posted a 9-2 record, paired with a sparkling .939 save percentage. Lindgren is the backup in Washington but has posted a 7-4-2 record, along with a .910 save percentage. Samsonov was drafted by the Capitals and is now property of the Maple Leafs in a tandem role, which has served him well in this limited sample size. 

The way the Maple Leafs are playing right now makes it difficult to fade them at their current price point on the moneyline at -150. The Capitals are a veteran-led team, but they just don’t match up well with the skill and defensive prowess that the Maple Leafs bring to the table. As a result, there’s value here in siding with the Maple Leafs to win this game outright. 

Best Bet: Maple Leafs moneyline (-150) 

Both the Maple Leafs and Capitals have placed a significant onus on being better defensively this season, and that’s translated into their overall results. The Maple Leafs sit second in goals allowed per game, while the Capitals are in 13th. Those trends correlate to this game occupying a low total, which is currently set at six. These teams already combined for five goals once, which gives you an idea of the type of style which should be prevalent tonight. With the under having slightly better value at -106, it should warrant some consideration in this matchup. 

Best Bet: Under 6 (-106) 

It’s no secret that the Maple Leafs have a core group of four elite forwards up front, which can make you pay on any given slate. For whatever reason, Auston Matthews started the season slow for his standards, but he’s awoken from his slumber of late and is back to posting dominant numbers. Over his past five games, Matthews has led the Maple Leafs with three goals and four assists, and you’re beginning to see things click for the superstar center. With Matthews still listed in plus-money territory to score this evening, it’s hard to fade that price at +108. 

Best Prop: Auston Matthews to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+108) 

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