The Toronto Maple Leafs (25-17-7) and Nashville Predators (22-18-7) will battle at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville at 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the Maple Leafs-Predators sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.
Maple Leafs at Predators: Projected starting goalies
Frederik Andersen vs. Pekka Rinne
The All-Star Andersen is 22-9-6 with a 2.89 goals against average and .909 save percentage. He is the projected starter, but since he took part in the Skills Competition and All-Star Game on Saturday night, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Michael Hutchinson get the nod. The latter is 3-7-1 with a 3.83 GAA and .885 SV%, but more rested and he has won three times in his past five appearances.
Rinne did not go to St. Louis for the All-Star festivities, so he is well rested, too. He is 16-10-3 with a 2.95 GAA and .899 SV% overall, but has alternated wins and losses in six January appearances, allowing three or fewer goals in four of those outings. He hasn’t faced Toronto this season, but he was 2-0-0 with a 0.00 GAA, 40 saves and two shutouts in his two appearances against the Leafs last season.
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Maple Leafs at Predators: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 7:30 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Predators 3, Maple Leafs 1
Moneyline (ML)
The PREDATORS (-125) are very reasonably priced considering Rinne’s dominance of the Maple Leafs (+105) last season. The Leafs closed out the unofficial first half with just one win in their previous six before the All-Star break, and they’re 0-4 in the past four against the Western Conference, too.
A $10 bet on the Predators to win returns a profit of $8, while a $10 wager on the Maple Leafs results in a profit of $10.50.
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The slight lean is to the PREDATORS (-1.5, +200) as you can double your money here. Expect Leafs All-Stars Andersen, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews to be sluggish after competing in St. Louis over the weekend.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 6.5 (-154) is the way to go, as Rinne has dominated the Leafs in recent meetings. In addition, the series trends point in the direction of Under, hitting in four of the past five meetings overall, and five of the past seven in the Music City.
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