Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Toronto Maple Leafs: Can the Penguins win their fifth game in a row?
The Toronto Maple Leafs are hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins at Scotiabank Arena on Monday.
The season is on the line for the Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 36-30-11 record. They have won the last four games and are coming off a 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Penguins are 12th in the league, allowing 2.95 goals per game, and are ranked 20th, scoring 3.03. Veteran Sidney Crosby is the best player on the team, with 95 points so far in the season.
The Maple leafs have clinched the playoffs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 44-23-9 record. They have won four of the last five games and are coming off a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs are third in the league, scoring 3.62 goals per game, and are ranked 17th, allowing 3.09. Auston Matthews is the leading scorer in the league with 64 goals so far in the season and is eighth with 100 total points.
Betting Trends
Toronto has won 4 of the last 6 games against Pittsburgh. The Maple Leafs are 4-1 SU in the last five games overall, 4-2 SU in the last six games against teams from the Eastern Conference and 2-4 SU in the last six games against teams from the Metropolitan Division. The Penguins are 6-1 SU in their last seven games overall and 3-9 SU in their last 12 games on the road.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams are playing well lately, but only the Maple Leafs have reached their goal. Toronto has clinched a playoff berth and still has a chance to finish in the top four of the conference. Many signed out the Penguins from the playoff race, but despite their play in the last couple of weeks, they are still hanging on. The Penguins are ninth in the conference, only one point behind the Detroit Red Wings and two behind the New York Islanders. Every game matters at this point, and with their backs against the wall, the Penguins will find a way to win tonight.
