Toronto Maple Leafs host Ottawa Senators in thrilling game one of their first round matchup on Sunday
Sunday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups on day two of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The game that sticks out is the Battle of Ontario between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators, which promises to be a physical war of attrition.
Both teams don’t like each other as they meet for the 172nd time with Sunday being their fifth meeting in the postseason. Toronto holds an all-time record of 16-8 fuelled by four straight series wins.
For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 13-5 record on our last 18 picks and our 18-6 record on our last 24 underdog picks.
All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
More NHL:Battle of Ontario Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Futures for Maple Leafs versus Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators Best Bets:
- Brady Tkachuk anytime goal (+230)
- Tim Stutzle Under 0.5 points (-104)
- Over 5.5 goals (-108)
- Maple Leafs ML (-170)
- Mitch Marner anytime goal (+220)
- Mitch Marner Over 1.5 points (+172)
The Senators haven’t made the postseason since 2017 when they lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Ottawa has struggled to put together a quality team since but this team looks very different with cornerstone players in Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle as well as a solid goaltender in former Vezina trophy winner Linus Ullmark.
They will be more competitive than people believe in this series as they have the best odds of any wild card team to advance to the second round at +164 odds.
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Ottawa should keep things close to start off this one as they’ll be lead by Tkachuk, who has been vocal about his love for the big moments like Sunday night.
The Senators captain has never played in the postseason before but I would expect a similar performance to his showing at the Four Nations where he recorded three goals in four games. His winger Tim Stutzle on the other hand, may suffer from the physicality of play in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Many hockey fans have heavily criticised Mitch Marner and other smaller-sized players for struggling to produce in the postseason as they can put up solid numbers but can’t make an impact defensively.
Marner has taken a massive step forward this season but Stutzle has started to make headlines for getting pushed around.
The German winger will get his first taste of the playoffs and I expect him to struggle. At 192 pounds, he may get pushed off the puck by bigger players like Auston Matthews (217 pounds), Matthew Knies (227 pounds) or Brandon Carlo (220 pounds).
This is becoming a common belief as Stutzle is listed with very low odds to even get a point at -122 which is surprising for a the Senators top scorer. I expect Tkachuk will get on the board but not Stutzle.
Marner should get on the board as he excels in game one’s with four goals and five assists for nine points over his last first-round game one’s.
Elite goaltending has brought the over/under down to 5.5 for this one despite these two having a history of high-scoring affairs with six or more goals in 16 of their last 25 matchups.
The under has hit in two of their four matchups this season but I expect another high-scoring affair as the nerves of the playoffs should get the better of a couple players and will leave holes for offence to pierce through.
More NHL: Predicting Which Wild Card Team Can Upset Top Divisional Seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
The over hit in both playoff games yesterday with the Devils Canes matchup today being the first to go under. The Leafs and Sens should continue the trend and add excitement to this series with a shootout to open things up.
Toronto will have home-ice to kick things off plus have the advantage of more experience in the playoffs that should carry them to a series-opening victory in game one.
A value bet to look at would be depth forward David Kampf scoring for the Maple Leafs. The 30-year-old Czech winger isn’t known for being an elite goal scorer after recording 31 goals over the last four season with Toronto.
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However, he has done well in the playoffs with goals in two of the last three first round game one’s for the Maple Leafs. He may not be in the lineup but if he is, he’s worth a look.
Toronto Maple Leafs host Ottawa Senators in thrilling game one of their first round matchup on Sunday
Sunday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups on day two of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The game that sticks out is the Battle of Ontario between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators, which promises to be a physical war of attrition.
Both teams don’t like each other as they meet for the 172nd time with Sunday being their fifth meeting in the postseason. Toronto holds an all-time record of 16-8 fuelled by four straight series wins.
For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 13-5 record on our last 18 picks and our 18-6 record on our last 24 underdog picks.
All betting lines are from FanDuel Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
More NHL:Battle of Ontario Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Futures for Maple Leafs versus Senators
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators Best Bets:
- Brady Tkachuk anytime goal (+230)
- Tim Stutzle Under 0.5 points (-104)
- Over 5.5 goals (-108)
- Maple Leafs ML (-170)
- Mitch Marner anytime goal (+220)
- Mitch Marner Over 1.5 points (+172)
The Senators haven’t made the postseason since 2017 when they lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
Ottawa has struggled to put together a quality team since but this team looks very different with cornerstone players in Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle as well as a solid goaltender in former Vezina trophy winner Linus Ullmark.
They will be more competitive than people believe in this series as they have the best odds of any wild card team to advance to the second round at +164 odds.
More NHL:Edmonton Oilers vs LA Kings Round 4 Betting Guide: Best Bets, Strategies and Future Options
Ottawa should keep things close to start off this one as they’ll be lead by Tkachuk, who has been vocal about his love for the big moments like Sunday night.
The Senators captain has never played in the postseason before but I would expect a similar performance to his showing at the Four Nations where he recorded three goals in four games. His winger Tim Stutzle on the other hand, may suffer from the physicality of play in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Many hockey fans have heavily criticised Mitch Marner and other smaller-sized players for struggling to produce in the postseason as they can put up solid numbers but can’t make an impact defensively.
Marner has taken a massive step forward this season but Stutzle has started to make headlines for getting pushed around.
The German winger will get his first taste of the playoffs and I expect him to struggle. At 192 pounds, he may get pushed off the puck by bigger players like Auston Matthews (217 pounds), Matthew Knies (227 pounds) or Brandon Carlo (220 pounds).
This is becoming a common belief as Stutzle is listed with very low odds to even get a point at -122 which is surprising for a the Senators top scorer. I expect Tkachuk will get on the board but not Stutzle.
Marner should get on the board as he excels in game one’s with four goals and five assists for nine points over his last first-round game one’s.
Elite goaltending has brought the over/under down to 5.5 for this one despite these two having a history of high-scoring affairs with six or more goals in 16 of their last 25 matchups.
The under has hit in two of their four matchups this season but I expect another high-scoring affair as the nerves of the playoffs should get the better of a couple players and will leave holes for offence to pierce through.
More NHL: Predicting Which Wild Card Team Can Upset Top Divisional Seed in the Stanley Cup Playoffs
The over hit in both playoff games yesterday with the Devils Canes matchup today being the first to go under. The Leafs and Sens should continue the trend and add excitement to this series with a shootout to open things up.
Toronto will have home-ice to kick things off plus have the advantage of more experience in the playoffs that should carry them to a series-opening victory in game one.
A value bet to look at would be depth forward David Kampf scoring for the Maple Leafs. The 30-year-old Czech winger isn’t known for being an elite goal scorer after recording 31 goals over the last four season with Toronto.
More Hockey:Top NHL Prospect Expected to Join Michigan Wolverines Next Season
However, he has done well in the playoffs with goals in two of the last three first round game one’s for the Maple Leafs. He may not be in the lineup but if he is, he’s worth a look.
