Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs 4/20/2023 Analysis, Odds and Free Picks
East 1st Round – Game 2, TB leads series 1-0
The Tampa Bay Lightning are set to face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 2 of the East 1st Round at Scotiabank Arena in Ontario, Canada, on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 7:00 PM ET. In the opening game of this series, Tampa Bay showcased their skill and determination, taking an early lead and maintaining momentum with late-period goals. They now aim to build on their success and take a 2-0 series lead before returning to their home arena, Amalie Arena, for games three and four.
Tampa Bay’s offensive prowess has been a key factor in their playoff performance, as they have averaged an impressive seven goals per game, ranking first in the league heading into Wednesday’s action. Defensively, they have allowed an average of three goals per game, placing them tied for eighth in the league in goals against. The Lightning’s power play has also been effective, capitalizing on 50% of their opportunities, which ties them for second place in the league with the man advantage. Additionally, their penalty killing has been solid, successfully resolving 50% of their shorthanded situations, which ties them for 12th in the league in penalty-killing efficiency during the postseason.
- The total went OVER in 4 of the Tampa Bay Rays’ last 5 games on the road.
- The total went OVER in 4 of Tampa Bay’s last 5 games with a team in the Eastern Conference.
- Tampa Bay is 2-5 SU in their last 7 games against an opponent in the Atlantic Division.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs 4/20/2023 Analysis, Odds and Free Picks
Toronto had a strong regular season, but their playoff woes persisted Tuesday night as they trailed by three goals after one period en route to a humiliating defeat. The Maple Leafs want to put that behind them and use their strength to tie the series. With an average of three goals per game in the postseason, Toronto is tied for fifth place in the league. With seven goals given up each night, the Maple Leafs are 16th in the playoffs in goals against. As of the current postseason, Toronto is tied for second in the league in terms of power play success, converting 50% of their opportunities when they have the man advantage. As they successfully handle only 50% of their shorthanded situations in the playoffs, the Maple Leafs are tied for 12th in the NHL in terms of penalty killing.
In Game 1, Toronto was outplayed early and struggled to stop the clock on the penalty kill, which led to a loss and cost them a home-ice advantage. The first period saw the Maple Leafs outshot 15-10, and after 20 minutes of play, they were down 3-0. Toronto trailed 6-2 at the second interval after being outscored 3-2 and outshot 14-10 in the second period. At 8:06, Ryan O’Reilly scored the first goal of the Maple Leafs’ playoff run on the power play with assists from Mitch Marner and John Tavares.
- Toronto is 5-2 SU in their last 7 games against an opponent in the Eastern Conference.
- The total went OVER in 4 of Toronto’s last 6 games with a team in the Atlantic Division.
- The Maple Leafs are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games played in April.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs. The NHL pick for this game is the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto has struggled with a lack of physicality in past playoff games, but that wasn’t the case on Tuesday as they out-hit Tampa Bay with a 42-39 advantage. However, their issues stemmed from losing their temper and struggling with penalty killing, allowing four power-play goals. The game took a turn when Michael Bunting received a match penalty late in the second period, resulting in two power-play goals for Tampa Bay and blowing the game wide open. Despite the setback, Toronto’s key players, including Marner with three assists, Matthews with two, Nylander with a goal, and Tavares with assists, showed initiative and tried to bring the team back into the game.
If Wes McCauley, who has been a nemesis for Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe in the past, is not officiating, then the team needs to focus on being more disciplined. As the Leafs look to even the score, they will need to show more composure and avoid costly penalties. Given the overall situation, Toronto has the advantage in this matchup, and they are predicted to win with a score of 5-4.
NHL Starting Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Scotiabank Arena, ON, CAN
Date: Thursday, April 20, 2023
TV: ESPN
NHL Odds: Tampa Bay Lightning +153
NHL Totals: 6
