Auston Matthews hasn't scored at his usual frantic clip this season, but the Maple Leafs captain always cranks it up a notch or two when playing the Canadiens, and we expect him to find twine tonight.
This article contains predictions for an old game!
Tonight’s NHL betting slate has 11 games, including a big-time divisional showdown between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena.
Auston Matthews has been quiet in the goals department this season compared to usual, but he rarely fails to find the net when facing off against the Habs, and my Maple Leafs vs Canadiens predictions have him tickling the twine tonight.
Find out why with my free NHL picks for this Saturday, April 12 matchup.
My Leafs pick: Auston Matthews anytime goal (+120 at Sports Interaction)
My Leafs analysis
Ignite the rivalry, ladies and gentlemen. We’ve got a doozy tonight between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens on the final Saturday of the NHL’s regular season.
It’s the fourth and final meeting between the teams this season. Montreal won the first battle of the year, but Toronto has won the others and looks to stake a claim on the season series with a win tonight.
The Maple Leafs can get themselves one step closer to clinching the division with a victory, and it’s the type of game I expect captain Auston Matthews to take control of and power the Buds to victory.
It’s been a troubling year for Matthews, with a career-low 30 goals this season, shooting at just a 12.1% rate, far less than his career averages.
However, he’s always had immense success against the Canadiens throughout. The three-time Rocket winner has 28 goals in 36 games against the Habs and is also averaging a goal a game over his last five outings against them.
The Canadiens played Ottawa last night, falling 5-2 with Samuel Montembeault in the net, which should push Jakob Dobes into the starter’s role tonight. The young Habs netminder started his career off well but is now 2-6-1 with a 3.67 GAA and a .881 SV% over his last nine games.
That won’t bode well against a potent offense like Toronto’s, especially when Montreal’s last three games have resulted in 32+ shots allowed and a 5-on-5 expected goals of 3.69 per 60 minutes, ranking 32nd in the NHL during that span.
Therefore, this feels like the perfect opportunity for Matthews to get back on track ahead of the playoffs with an anytime goal tonight
Auston Matthews anytime goal
Auston Matthews 3+ shots on goal
Under 6.5
We’ll continue with the Matthews theme and bet him to record 3+ shots tonight. He’s averaging 3.92 shots per game this season and has reached this total in eight of the last 10 meetings against Montreal.
Additionally, the Habs’ defense has been leaky lately, allowing an average of 35.3 shots over their last three games.
For the final leg of my SGP, I’ll take Under 6.5 goals. The Leafs and Habs have been involved in tight, low-scoring games down the stretch, with each game carrying playoff implications. Both teams have seen the Under go 5-1 in their last six games.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Odds courtesy of Sports Interaction
The Leafs are 7-3 on the moneyline in the last 10 games played between the two clubs. Find more NHL betting trends for Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens.
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Mike DiStefano joins Covers after a successful five-year stint with TSN. Distefano hosted Leafs Lunch, a Toronto Maple Leafs-centric radio show which featured a daily best bets segment where he found the biggest and best value plays of the night. He was also a weekly staple on TSN’s flagship radio/tv show “OverDrive” as a betting analyst during their NFL picks segment #TeamAl-DogForever.
A graduate of Centennial College’s Sports Journalism program, Mike has also contributed to the Canadian Baseball Network, FanSided, and The Hockey News.
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