The Wells Fargo Center is the site for an Eastern Conference showdown as the Philadelphia Flyers face off against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. It’s the third and final time that these two clubs will go at it in the regular season. The action will get started at 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, January 18, and it will be televised live on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Toronto Maple Leafs at Philadelphia Flyers Odds
Philadelphia heads into the matchup as the slight favorite with a moneyline of -115. The line for Toronto sits at -105, and the Over/Under (O/U) is set at 6 goals. The line for betting that total stands at -115 money on the over and -105 on the under.
Toronto is 25-21 straight up (SU) and has lost 2.7 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 46 regular season contests, 22 of its games have gone over the total, while 21 have gone under and just three have pushed. The Leafs are 12-12 SU on the road in 2017-18.
Toronto has converted on 20.8 percent of its power play chances this season, a figure that’s right around league average. On the other hand, it has the fifth-best penalty kill in the league, and the team’s successfully killed off 84.0 percent of all penalties.
Toronto, as a collective unit, has been called for penalties just 3.7 times per game during the 2017-18 season, and 4.6 per game over its last five road outings. The team’s had to stave off opponent power plays just 8.8 minutes per game over their last 10 outings.
Averaging 31.6 saves per game with a .922 save percentage, Frederik Andersen (22-16-3) has been the best option in goal for Toronto this season. If it chooses to rest him, however, the team might go with Curtis McElhinney (3-4), who has a .916 save percentage and 2.78 goals against average this year.
The visiting Maple Leafs will be led by Auston Matthews and William Nylander. Matthews has 33 points on 19 goals and 14 assists, and has recorded multiple points 10 times. Nylander has nine goals and 23 assists to his name (and has logged a point in 25 games).
On the other bench, Philadelphia is 20-24 straight up (SU) and has lost 6.5 units for moneyline bettors this year. Through 44 regular season matches, 24 of its games have gone over the total, while 18 have gone under and just two have pushed. It’s 11-12 SU at home this year.
Philadelphia has converted on 21.4 percent of its power play opportunities this year, a figure that’s good enough for ninth-best in the league. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 29th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 74.6 percent of all opponent power plays.
Philadelphia players have been called for penalties 3.7 times per game in total this season, 4.0 per game over their last five contests total, and 3.4 per game over their last five at home. The team’s had to kill penalties 11.2 minutes per game over their last five home outings.
Brian Elliott has denied 26.6 shots per game as the primary selection in goal for Philadelphia. Elliott has 17 wins, 19 losses, and seven overtime losses and has registered a pedestrian 2.84 goals against average and a fairly-weak .906 save percentage this year.
The home team will be led on offense by Claude Giroux (14 goals, 40 assists).
Toronto Maple Leafs at Philadelphia Flyers Betting Predictions
Predictions: SU Winner – Maple Leafs, O/U – Over
Notes
Betting Notes
Two of Toronto’s last ten games have been decided by a shootout. The team is 2-0 in those games and 4-1 overall in shootouts this season.
The over has hit in four of Philadelphia’s last five games.
Over Philadelphia’s last ten outings, eight of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 5-3 in those games).
