Scotiabank Arena will be hosting an intriguing tilt as the Toronto Maple Leafs take on the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets. The match gets going at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, November 19, and you can witness this Eastern Conference matchup live on Sportsnet Ontario.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Toronto Maple Leafs Odds
Toronto (-135) is the favorite over Columbus (+115), and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The odds for betting the total stand at -105 money on the over and -115 on the under.
Earning 4.5 units for moneyline bettors, the Maple Leafs are 14-6 straight up (SU) overall in the 2018-19 season. That winning percentage, ranked first in the league in this young season, is an improvement over the 49-33 record from the 2017-18 season campaign. 12 of its 20 matches have gone under the total, while seven have gone over and just one has pushed. This season, the team’s 5-5 SU at home.
Toronto has converted on 25.0 percent of its power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s good enough for 10th-best in the league. On the other hand, its penalty kill is rated sixth overall, and it’s successfully killed off 83.6 percent of all penalties.
As a collective unit, Toronto has been penalized just 3.0 times per game overall this season, 2.8 per game over its past five contests total, and 2.8 per game over its last five home outings. The team has had to defend opposition power plays for just 6.4 minutes per game over its last 10 outings, in total.
With a .934 save percentage and 29.3 saves per game, Frederik Andersen (11-5) has been the top goalkeeper for the Maple Leafs this season. If the Leafs decide to rest him, however, head coach Mike Babcock could roll with Garret Sparks (3-1-1 record, .906 save percentage, 3.20 goals against average).
The Leafs will continue to look for leadership from Mitchell Marner and Morgan Rielly. Marner (26 points) has tallied six goals and 20 assists and has recorded two or more points on eight different occasions this year. Rielly has nine goals and 16 assists to his credit and has recorded a point in 14 games.
On the visiting bench, Columbus is 12-8 straight up (SU) and has earned 0.3 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 20 regular season outings, 11 of its games have gone under the total, while nine have gone over and none have pushed. Columbus’ 7-3 SU as the visiting team this season.
Columbus has converted on 16.4 percent of its power play chances this season, a mark that’s right around league average. On the other hand, its penalty kill unit is ranked 22nd overall and it’s successfully killed off 77.6 percent of all opponent power plays.
Columbus’ skaters have been penalized 3.8 times per game in total this season, and 4.8 per game over their last five on the road. The team’s had to stave off opponent power plays 8.7 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Sergei Bobrovsky (28.0 saves per game) has been the main choice in the net for Columbus. Bobrovsky owns a 7-6 record, and has registered a .917 save percentage and 2.60 goals against average this year.
Artemi Panarin (five goals, 16 assists) has been one of the top offensive playmakers for the visiting Blue Jackets.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Free Picks
Free NHL Pick: SU Winner – Blue Jackets, O/U – Over
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Notes
Betting Trends
For both of these teams, the total has gone over in three of their last five games.
After averaging 33.6 shots per game as a team last season (the sixth-most in the league), Columbus has attempted 32.8 shots per game overall this season, and 31.4 in its last 10 games.
Penalties and power plays may play a critical role tonight. The Blue Jackets are 6-5 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than their opponent and 8-4 in games where they serve fewer than 10 total penalty minutes. The Maple Leafs are 6-1 when they serve fewer penalty minutes than the opposition and 11-6 in games where total penalty minutes are in the single digits.
Toronto skaters have averaged 11.4 takeaways per game over its last five home games, an improvement over its season average of 8.9 takeaways per game (ranked 7th).
Columbus has allowed 3.1 goals per game overall this year, but has gotten that figure down 1.7 per contest over the team’s three-game winning streak.
Columbus has averaged 5.8 takeaways per game over its last five road games, a drop-off from its season average of 6.6 takeaways per game (ranked 25th in the NHL).
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