Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Boston Bruins Game 7: Eastern Conference Playoffs – First Round
The Toronto Maple Leafs are visiting the Boston Bruins in a decisive game at TD Garden on Saturday.
The Maple Leafs got the momentum
The Toronto Maple Leafs had many difficulties in this series as both of their best players, Auston Matthews and William Nylander, missed a couple of games. However, that did not stop the rest of the squad from stepping up and tying the series, winning the last two games. The Maple Leafs are the underdogs in Game 7, but they deserve the chance to fight to stay alive in the season.
Can the Bruins spil everything again?
The Boston Bruins had a chance to close out the series twice, but losing the last two games has put them in a situation to fight for their lives tonight. The same happened last season as well, when they fell short to the Florida Panthers, and some of the key players from that team are no longer in Boston. Everything comes to captain Brad Marchand, who needs to find a way and lead the team to the next round.
Betting Trends
The Bruins have played under the total goal line in 5 of their last 6 home games and in 12 of their last 15 games overall. The Maple Leafs have played under in 4 of their last 5 games overall but have gone over in 4 of their last 6 games on the road.
Prediction and Conclusion
Last season, the Boston Bruins set an NHL all-time record for the most points in the regular season and then blew a 3-1 lead in the opening series against the Florida Panthers. They got to the same lead against Toronto, and the Maple Leafs have tied the series, and we are about to see a real drama in TD Garden tonight. No team in any of the American professional leagues has blown a 3-1 lead in two consecutive years, and the Bruins are under major pressure to avoid their destiny from last postseason. Both of the last two games could go either way, but the Bruins fell short at the end. The good news for them is that Auston Matthews, the best goal scorer in the NHL in the regular season, will not play tonight. Given the stakes and the pressure that comes with a Game 7, the safest bet is going under 5.5 goals in total.
