Maple Leafs vs. Golden Knights Prediction, Betting Odds, and Our Best Bet

The Toronto Maple Leafs are sitting at 38-20-3 and will roll into T-Mobile Arena tonight to face the Vegas Golden Knights who are 36-18-6 in a game with big playoff implications. The Maple Leafs are slight underdogs (+114), while Vegas is the favorite at -135.

Both teams are among the top contenders in their respective conferences, but Toronto comes in with the hotter hand.

With the puck dropping at 10 p.m. ET on TNT, so there’s plenty of time to get your bet slips loaded up. With 2 teams of this caliber going head to head, this is easily the game to catch tonight.

Betting Odds and Key Matchups

Vegas has been a strong home team, there’s no denying that, but they haven’t been as consistent over the last few weeks as they have the rest of the season. They’re 5-3-2 in their last 10 games, while Toronto has been red-hot, going 8-1-1 in the same span of games.

The over/under is set at 8.5 goals, which matches the Maple Leafs’ recent scoring average but is a bit lower than their combined output in the last 10 games where they helped put up 8.5 total goals per game.

Goaltending Battle

Goaltending just might be the biggest factor in this one.

Joseph Woll is stepping into the crease with a 21-11-0 record, 2.70 GAA and a .907 SV%. Obviously, he has been solid for the Leafs, though he’s had some shaky moments.

Vegas counters in their net with Adin Hill (22-10-4, 2.52 GAA, .906 SV%), who has slightly better numbers and more big-game experience.

Both netminders will need to be at the top of their game if they’re going to keep this game competitive.

Toronto’s defense has been improving, but they still allow just 2.85 goals per game which is nearly identical to Vegas’ at 2.73. If either goalie gets hot, it could be a much lower-scoring game than expected.

Who Has the Edge?

Toronto has a slight offensive advantage in this one.

Mitch Marner leads the Leafs with 76 points spanning 18 goals and 58 assists, and William Nylander is easily their top goal-scorer with 35 and in the running for the Rocket Richard Trophy.

Vegas leans heavily on Jack Eichel and his 72 points over 19 goals and 53 assists, while Pavel Dorofeyev with 24 goals has stepped up as a secondary threat and to chip in with some depth.

The Maple Leafs generate slightly fewer shots per game at 28.3 than the Golden Knights at 30.7, but Vegas has been weaker on the penalty kill with 77% compared to Toronto’s 79.4%.

If penalties start adding up, special teams could be the game-changer in this one.

Toronto already shut out Vegas 3-0 back in November, so they’ll come in with confidence knowing they can handle this team and that’s an intangible that we just can’t overlook.

Recent Form and Betting Trends

Toronto’s recent form is simply too strong to ignore. They’ve won 4 games straight, including impressive victories over Pittsburgh, Boston, and Chicago. Sure, none of those teams are as dominant as the Knights, but it goes to show that their offense is clicking, and they’re controlling the pace of games.

Vegas, on the other hand, has been a bit unpredictable. They’re 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games, and while they’re still picking up points, they haven’t been as dominant as they were earlier in the season. The Golden Knights have been scoring one fewer goal per game than their season average in the past couple of weeks, which could be a problem against a Toronto team that’s flying high and not looking to slow down anytime soon.

Our Prediction and Best Bet

This game should be undoubtedly competitive, but Toronto’s smoking-hot offense gives them the edge. Their scoring depth, recent form, and confidence from their previous win over Vegas all work in their favor for this matchup. That’s a lot that we can’t get over.

Vegas will make this a fight, no doubt, but Toronto’s ability to finish plays and create high-danger scoring chances should lead them to another win and another 2 points toward the playoffs.

• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Maple Leafs 4, Golden Knights 2
• Best Bet: Maple Leafs Moneyline (+114)

Toronto is simply playing better hockey right now, and getting them at plus odds is too good to pass up.

The under bet is also solid given how well these netminders are playing. Finding the back of the net with these 2 in between the pipes might come at a premium.