Kings vs. Maple Leafs Odds & Prediction: Bet Toronto to Win in Regulation
Mike Carlson/Getty Images. Pictured: Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner.
- The Los Angeles Kings and Toronto Maple Leafs meet in an NHL matchup on Thursday night.
- The Leafs are led by two players who have impressed continually this season: Mitch Marner and Matt Murray.
- Check out Jonny Lazarus' best bet for Kings vs. Maple Leafs below.
Kings vs. Maple Leafs Odds
| Kings Odds | +150 |
| Maple Leafs Odds | -180 |
| Over/Under | 6 |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | TVAS |
The Maple Leafs enter Thursday's game against the Kings on a dangerous level thanks to Mitch Marner and his 20-game point streak and a 6-0-1 record in their last seven games.
The Kings haven't seen as much winning lately, going .500 in their last six games. They're are having a ton of goaltending issues at the moment, which is a huge concern going up against a team as offensively gifted as the Leafs.
Marner is money right now and I don't see the Kings slowing him and his team down.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings have had a strong start to the season, but consistency is definitely not a theme for them.
Offense has been a strength of theirs thus far thanks to the addition of Kevin Fiala this offseason, but scoring goals doesn't matter as much when a team can't keep pucks out of its own net.
The Kings have allowed 21 goals in their last five games, and Pheonix Copley might be stealing the starting goaltender job from Jonathan Quick. It hasn't been the prettiest of seasons for the legendary goaltender, as Quick sports a .888 save percentage to go with his 3.33 goals against average. That's not exactly what we're used to seeing with a goalie of his caliber.
Copley got his first start with the Kings in their most recent game, and he performed at a very high level, making 31 saves on 33 shots faced. Los Angeles hasn't announced a starter yet tonight, but it might very well be Copley.
The biggest positive right now is the Kings' power play. Their man advantage has now tallied in seven straight games, scoring 11 goals on the power play across those games. They now have the eighth-best power-play unit in the NHL, and they are going to need the big guns to show up tonight in the difficult road environment that is Toronto.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs are straight-up clicking right now, and we know how dangerous this team can be when things are going well.
What can you say about Marner? He has turned it up a notch after being criticized early this season. During his 20-game point streak, he has tallied nine goals and 17 assists, as he's currently leading the team with 32 points in 27 games.
Not only have the Leafs been buzzing offensively, but Matt Murray has looked unbelievable since returning from injury. He's skated to a 6-1-2 record with a .932 save percentage and 2.34 goals against average.
The Leafs' top six forwards are firing on all cylinders right now. As a team, they've been getting the job done on home ice, boasting an 8-2-3 record at Scotiabank Arena.
The Leafs train is rolling.
Kings vs. Maple Leafs Pick
As talented as both teams are, I would have to think that Murray is the difference-maker in this game. He's 4-0-1 in his last five starts and has started just twice at home this season, so you'd have to think that he will be fired up to play in front of the home crowd.
The Kings have been very sloppy defensively, and I think they might be relying a little too much on their power play to help them win games. They're 0-4 in their last four games following a win, and they're also 1-4 in their last five games playing on one day of rest.
The Leafs are the much hotter team right now, and this should be a game they win in regulation.
Pick: Maple Leafs 3-Way ML (-115)
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