Nashville Predators at Toronto Maple Leaf
11 January 2023
The 2022-23 NHL season continues to roll along on Wednesday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs host the Nashville Predators. There are some big NHL games on the schedule, but this is a game that looks to be a bit of a mismatch on paper.
Nashville comes into this game with 44 points on the year, and they have been trending in the right direction. The Predators have rattled off four straight wins, which has gotten them back into the playoff race in the Western Conference.
Toronto is having a terrific season as they bring a record of 25-9-7 into this game. The Maple Leafs have won two straight games but haven’t been dominant on their home ice yet.
The Maple Leafs are moneyline betting favorites at -207 against the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night.
The Predators are Starting to Score
The overall numbers for Nashville show that this team is scoring just 2.77 goals per game, but they have been finding more offense of late. During this four-game winning streak, the Predators have totaled 17 goals, and that trend can continue moving forward.
Filip Forsberg has been the best offensive player for the Predators this season, leading the way with 16 goals and 36 total points. The Predators are scoring on the power play just 17 percent of the time, and that has to improve.
Goaltender Juuse Saros has gone 15-10-5 in the blue paint this season, but he can be better than that as the season moves along. Nashville will be dealing with a Maple Leafs team that is loaded with talent in this game.
Toronto is Tough on Defense
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a team that is known to have some great offensive weapons, but they have actually been getting it done on defense. Toronto is allowing just 2.6 goals per game this season, allowing them to take some chances on offense.
Ilya Samsonov has taken over as the top goaltender for the Maple Leafs and has gone 12-3-1 in the blue paint this season. Toronto could still get better on the penalty kill, as they are killing that off just 78.6 percent of the time.
Mitch Marner leads a balanced offensive attack with 34 assists and 49 total points on the year. However, this team can overwhelm opponents if they get on a roll.
Toronto Takes Care of Business
The Nashville Predators are playing their best hockey of the season, but this team has some serious flaws. Nashville is scoring goals of late, but they just don’t have the offensive firepower to keep up with the Maple Leafs.
Toronto is a team that can get hot in a hurry, and the balanced attack on offense will allow them to take control in this game. Don’t expect a big performance from Toronto in this one, but they simply have more talent than the Predators.
Bet the Toronto Maple Leafs -207 as they do just enough to pick up a win over the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night.
You can find all of our NHL picks here.
