Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers 5/10/2023 Previews, Odds and Picks Edit
East 2nd Round – Game 4, FLA leads series 3-0
The Atlantic Division has seen some unexpected results in this second-round clash between the #2 seed Toronto Maple Leafs and the second Wild Card team, the Florida Panthers. Both teams stunned many by beating tough rivals in the first round to get to this point. The Leafs haven’t advanced past the first round since 2004, while the Panthers knocked off the President’s Trophy-winning Boston Bruins in overtime of Game 7. The teams faced each other four times in the regular season, and the Leafs came out on top in three of those games. Three of the four games went to overtime, making for a thrilling season series.
However, in Game 1 of this playoff series, the Panthers shocked many by grabbing a 4-2 win on the road. Despite outshooting Florida in Game 1 and Game 2, Toronto couldn’t get a win. In Game 3, the Panthers won 3-2 in overtime, putting the Leafs in a desperate situation. The Leafs need a huge comeback to stay alive in this series, as they are down 3-0 and haven’t seen any production from their star players. The game starts at 7 pm EST tonight at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs are 3-9 SU in their last 12 games on the road against Florida.
- The total stayed UNDER in 5 of Toronto’s last 6 games with a team in the East.
- The total went UNDER in 5 of Toronto’s last 6 games with a team in the Atlantic Division.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers 5/10/2023 Previews, Odds and Picks Edit
The first two games of the series between the Leafs and the Panthers were played at home, where the Leafs had the advantage. However, they were unable to secure a win, and now they face a crucial game on the road in Florida. The Panthers had a rough start to the season following their disappointing exit from last year’s playoffs, but they picked up momentum in the second half of the season. They secured the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a record of 42-32-8, beating out the Penguins and the Sabres by one point. They ended the regular season strongly, winning six out of their last eight games, despite losing their final two.
The Panthers have been a dominant force in terms of scoring this season, ranking sixth in the NHL with an average of 3.51 goals per game, while also having the highest number of shots per game in the league. They are also the league leaders in expected goals and high-danger shots. Their power play has been effective, converting 22.8% of their opportunities, placing them tenth in the league. The top scorers for Florida this season are Matthew Tkachuk, who joined the team from Calgary in the off-season and has 109 points and 69 assists, and Carter Verhaeghe, who has 42 goals.
Despite their strong offensive performance, the Panthers have struggled on defense, allowing an average of 3.68 goals per game, which is the twelfth-highest in the NHL, with 31.7 shots against per game. They have also given up many quality chances, ranking eighth in expected goals against and third in high-danger shots against. Their penalty kill has been less than impressive, with a success rate of only 75.9%, placing them tenth-worst in the league. Alex Lyon, who began the season as their third goalie, took over as starter for the series against the Bruins after Sergei Bobrovsky struggled this season. Spencer Knight was also away from the team for most of the season due to personal issues. Lyon performed well towards the end of the season, winning six out of his last eight starts, helping Florida secure a playoff spot. Bobrovsky took over in the series against the Bruins and played remarkably in the final games to help the Panthers advance to the second round.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Panthers achieved a remarkable upset by defeating the Boston Bruins in seven games. The Bruins set new records for points and wins in a regular season and dominated the league. They had a 3-1 series lead and numerous opportunities to seal the deal, but the Panthers fought back, with some luck on their side, and won in overtime of Game 7. After losing the first two games in Boston, where the Bruins underperformed at home, the Bs won the next two games in Florida with ease, putting Florida in a difficult position. In Game 5 in Boston, the Bruins were superior, outshooting Florida 47-25 and outplaying them with an expected goal margin of 4.52-3.
- The Florida Panthers are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games at home against Toronto.
- The total stayed UNDER in 7 of Florida’s last 7 games played in May.
- The total has gone OVER in 4 of Florida’s last 6 home games played on a Wednesday.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers. The NHL’s pick is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto is in a do-or-die situation in game 4 after dropping three consecutive games. Look for the Maple Leafs to finally break through Wednesday night as their stars will deliver. Look for Toronto to use their talents on both sides of the puck to get the win to send this series back up north for a game 5. Final Score Prediction, Toronto Maple Leafs win 4-1.
NHL Starting Time: 7:00 PM EDT
Location:
Date: Wednesdayday, May 10, 2023
TV: ESPN
NHL ODDS: Toronto Maple Leafs -120
NHL TOTALS: 6.5
