NHL Picks: The Toronto Maple Leafs host the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday in a game that can be seen on NHL Network. The Leafs have been as inconsistent as ever as they win a couple of games and then lose a couple of games. They also don’t have much of a home ice advantage as they lost four of their first five at home. It won’t be easy for them on Saturday against one of the top teams in the league. It is a busy slate of action on Saturday in the NHL with 12 games on the schedule. Let’s look at the games with a focus on the Hawks and Leafs and NHL picks.
–Saturday, November 1–
Chicago Blackhawks at Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL Network)
The Maple Leafs dropped four of their first five games at home, losing three times by at least three goals. The Air Canada Centre has given them no home ice edge at all this year. And this is not a new problem as the Leafs are winning just 49% of their home games since 2005. “There are some nerves coming into this building,” said winger Joffrey Lupul. “It’s quiet; it’s one of the quietest buildings in the league. And it can quickly turn bad.”
“I don’t know what exactly the reason for that is,” said defenseman Cody Franson, “I think sometimes we feel that we kind of have to put on a show here, whereas on the road we go out and play a simple game, a puck-possession game, which is what we are we trying to do here.”
It could be tough on Saturday night as the Leafs have lost 8 of their last 10 against Chicago. They did find a way to win 7-3 at home last year but that victory was rare as they had dropped their previous eight against the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks have won four of the last five in Toronto with the last four going over.
NHL Picks
We’ll back Chicago in this one and also play the game over the total.
Saturday’s Other Games
The rest of the action on Saturday has Ottawa at Boston, Buffalo at Pittsburgh, Washington at Tampa Bay, Philadelphia at Florida, Columbus at New Jersey, Winnipeg at New York Rangers, Arizona at Carolina, Colorado at St. Louis, Dallas at Minnesota, Vancouver at Edmonton and the New York Islanders at San Jose.
