The Toronto Maple Leafs (11-11-3) and Florida Panthers (12-11-1) meet Tuesday. Puck drop from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+ / Hulu). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NHL odds around the Maple Leafs vs. Panthers and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
2024-25 season series: Panthers won 4-3 in second-round playoff series and 3-1 in regular season
The Maple Leafs belted the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-2 on the road as short dogs (+100) as the Over (6.5) cashed. Toronto had 7 different goals scorers, while C Max Domi, LW Matthew Knies and D Morgan Rielly each had 2 assists apiece. G Dennis Hildeby stopped 33 of the 35 shots he faced in the win.
Toronto has played a little better lately, going 3-2-1 in the past 6 games, while the Under is 4-2-1 in the previous 7 outings.
The Panthers suffered a 5-3 loss at home as heavy favorites (-175) against the Calgary Flames as the Over (5.5) cashed. Cs Sam Bennett and Evan Rodrigues notched goals in the opening 3 minutes, but the offensive spigot was turned off after that, while G Daniil Tarasov allowed 4 goals on 33 shots in the loss.
It has dropped 3 in a row on home ice since Nov. 22, getting outscored 15-8. The Over has hit in 4 in a row for Florida, with the Panthers allowing a total of 18 goals in the span, or 4.5 goals per game (GPG).
Maple Leafs at Panthers odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:29 a.m. ET.
Moneyline (ML): Maple Leafs +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Panthers -145 (bet $145 to win $100)Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Maple Leafs +1.5 (-130) | Panthers -1.5 (+155)Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)Maple Leafs at Panthers projected goalies
Joseph Woll (2-3-1, 2.79 GAA, .914 SV%) vs. Sergei Bobrovsky (10-7-0, 2.87 GAA, .882 SV%, 2 SO)
Woll is expected to go, as he and Hildeby handle the goaltending duties with G Anthony Stolarz sidelined due to an upper-body injury. Woll allowed 3 goals on 33 shots in a 4-2 loss in Washington last Friday, and he has allowed 3 or fewer goals in 5 of 6 games to date.
Bobrovsky has been struggling lately, allowing 4 goals in each of his past 2 home losses to the Flyers and Edmonton Oilers, and 4 or more goals in 3 of the past 4 outings. He is still 7-4-0 with a 2.69 GAA and .875 SV%, with both of his shutouts coming at home across 11 starts.
Maple Leafs at Panthers picks and predictionsPrediction
Panthers 4, Maple Leafs 3
The PANTHERS (-145) are a good play as moderate favorites at home. Florida has dominated this series against Toronto in recent seasons, and the Maple Leafs aren’t playing great hockey at the moment. Side with the home team.
The Maple Leafs +1.5 (-190) have the firepower to at least make things interesting, especially since Bobrovsky isn’t exactly lighting the world afire lately.
The Panthers can’t be trusted, either, as Florida is just 1-4 on the puck line in the past 5 games as a favorite, including 3 outright losses.
PASS.
OVER 6.5 (-110) is the lean, but go with a half-unit play at most.
The Over has cashed in 4 straight games for the Panthers, and 5 of the past 6 outings. Florida has coughed up 4.5 GPG in the past 4 games, too, lighting the lamp at a 4.0 GPG pace.
For the Leafs, the Over is 2-1-1 in the past 4 games, including a 7-goal outburst last time out. With Woll in there, and Bob struggling on the other side, we should at least get to 7 total goals.
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