It’s the hottest team in the NHL versus the reigning Stanley Cup champions on Tuesday, as the Toronto Maple Leafs (33-16-8) try to extend their winning streak to eight games against the Vegas Golden Knights (32-19-7).
Bookmaker Pinnacle had the odds at -163 for another Maple Leafs win, while the odds are at +143 for Vegas to get the victory. A high-scoring encounter is expected at the Scotiabank Arena, as Pinnacle has the total set at 6.0 goals, offering odds at -118 for the over and +103 for the under.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 26th, 6:30 P.M. (EST)
It’s the second head-to-head clash in less than a week for the two teams after Toronto embarrassed the Golden Knights in their own barn with a 7-3 result. The team exploded for four first-period goals and never looked back. Vegas gets a quick chance for revenge, but it’s going to take a massive effort to slow down the Maple Leafs.
Led by Auston Matthews, Toronto has scored at least four goals in all of their games during the current seven-game winning streak, and last week’s mauling of Vegas isn’t even the team’s highest-scoring effort during the run – a second consecutive Matthews hat trick helped the Maple Leafs beat Anaheim 9-2 on Feb. 17.
Matthews has been almost unplayable for the opposition lately, racking up goals with ease and simply toying with defenses. He has potted 10 goals during the winning streak, pushing his total for the season all the way up to 52. He’s on track for a 75-goal season – only six players in NHL history have managed more across a single campaign.
Vegas is slumping with a 1-4-1 run and will need to tame the league’s best offense to have a chance of getting two points on Tuesday. Toronto averages 3.68 goals per game, and the number even climbs to 3.78 goals in home outings.
The Golden Knights started out the season in prolific fashion as well, but injuries have left a large dent in the team’s campaign, and the defending champions also travel to Toronto with a number of key players missing. Jack Eichel is a long-term absentee, while team captain and leading scorer Mark Stone was knocked out of the lineup last week.
Finding a winning formula will be very challenging for Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy on Tuesday. However, considering last week’s result, he should at least have a highly motivated squad at his disposal as the Vegas players look to redeem themselves following the big home loss to Toronto.
