Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs 5/2/2023 Odds, Expert Picks and Tips
East 2nd Round – Game 1
The Florida Panthers are on the road again on Tuesday when they face the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Panthers are feeling confident after winning their third straight game, which knocked out the top-seeded Boston Bruins in a thrilling 4-3 overtime win on Sunday. The defense was anchored by goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who made 33 saves on 36 shots in over 67 minutes of play. The offense was powered by Brandon Montour, who scored two goals on six shots, and Carter Verhaeghe, who added one goal and one assist.
Florida’s offense has been impressive this season, scoring 3.51 goals per game on 36.8 shots, while their defense has also been solid, giving up 3.2 goals on just under 32 shots per game. Matthew Tkachuk has been the Panthers’ leading scorer this season with 109 points and a team-high 69 assists, while Carter Verhaeghe has scored 42 goals on 275 total shots.
- Toronto are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games against an opponent in the Eastern Conference.
- The total went OVER in 5 of Toronto’s last 7 games with a team in the Atlantic Division.
- The total hung OVER in 5 of Toronto’s last 6 games played in May.
Florida Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs 5/2/2023 Odds, Expert Picks and Tips
The Toronto Maple Leafs are gearing up for their second-round series at home on Tuesday, fresh off a dominant performance against Tampa Bay. The team has won four out of their last five games, including a narrow one-goal victory in overtime to close out their first-round series on Saturday. Goalie Ilya Samsonov was a standout performer for Toronto, registering a .969 save percentage after allowing only one goal on 32 shots in just over 64 minutes of ice time. John Tavares and Auston Matthews led the charge for the Leafs’ offense, each scoring one goal.
This season, Toronto has been an above-average team offensively, averaging 3.39 goals per game on 32 shots. However, their defense has been their strongest asset, conceding just 2.67 goals on less than 30 shots per game. Mitchell Marner has been the driving force behind the Leafs’ offense, racking up 99 points and a team-leading 69 assists, while William Nylander has contributed 40 goals on 293 shots.
- Toronto are 9-2 SU in their last 11 games when playing at home against Florida.
- Toronto are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games against an opponent in the Eastern Conference.
- The total went OVER in 5 of Toronto’s last 7 games with a team in the Atlantic Division.
Florida Panthers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs. The NHL Pick for this contest is Toronto Maple Leafs. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the better team in this matchup and will continue to roll. Toronto has already beaten Florida 3 times this year and will improve those numbers Tuesday. Look for the Maple Leafs to control this game on both sides of the puck leading to the game 1 win. Prediction: Maple Leafs 3, Florida 1.
NHL Starting Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON
Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
TV: ESPN
NHL Odds/Point Spread: Toronto Maple Leafs -165
NHL Totals: 6.5
