Columbus Blue Jackets vs Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Pick & Prediction 12/14/23
Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Blue Jackets versus the Maple Leafs? The puck drops at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on BSOH. The game will be played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. The over/under for this Eastern conference contest is set at 6.5 goals, with the Maple Leafs being the favored team playing at home against the Blue Jackets.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS VS TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs -1.5
This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena at 7:00 ET on Thursday, December 14th.
WHY BET THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS:
- Based on projections, we have the Maple Leafs coming out on top by a score of 4-2.
- Take the Maple Leafs on the moneyline
- The Maple Leafs should also cover at -1.5
Is an Upset Waiting to Happen on the Road?
For the season, the Blue Jackets currently hold an overall record of 9-16-5. On the road, Columbus has gone 2-8-3 and they are 7-8-2 at home. They are currently positioned 8th in the Eastern Metropolitan division and 15th in the Eastern conference.
In terms of the puck line, Columbus posted a 18-12 record. On the road they are 9-4 against the puck line, while their overall home performance is 9-8. For the season, Columbus’ games have finished with an average of 6.4 goals per game. Their average over/under line for the season is 6.4. Overall, the Blue Jackets have an over/under record of 17-13-0.
When looking at their past three road matchups, Columbus has an puck line record of 1-2 while averaging 2 per game. The team went 0-3 overall in these games.
On the offensive side, the Blue Jackets are scoring an 2.9 goals per game this season, ranking 18th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 11th in the league. Looking at how the Blue Jackets’ offense is performing during power plays, they are 26th in power play goals and 32nd in shorthanded goals.
The leading scorer for Columbus’ offense is Boone Jenner. Coming into the game he has 13 goals, ranking 25th in the NHL. Jenner also comes into the game with 5 assists.
Defensively, the Maple Leafs come into the season ranked 21st in goals allowed. Opponents are averging 32 shots per game against Toronto. For the season, they are ranked 21st in shutouts, coming in with 1 shutouts.
Heading into this matchup vs. Toronto, goalie Spencer Martin has started nine games in this season. His current record is 2-7, and his save percentage stands at 89.1%.
Can the Maple Leafs Hold Strong at Home?
In their 26 games, the Maple Leafs have a 15-7-5 record this season. While playing at their home arena, they have a 8-4-1 record, and their record on the road is 7-2-4. Their current record places them 3rd in the Eastern Atlantic division and 4th in the Eastern conference.
Regarding the puck line, Toronto comes in with a 7-19 record. On the road against the puck line, they are 3-10, while their home record is 4-9. This season, Toronto’s games have an average of 6.8 goals per game. The average over/under number for the season is 6.5. The Maple Leafs come in with an over/under performance of 14-11-1.
Although Toronto has a straight up record of 2-1 in their last three home games, they have not held up as well vs. the puck line going 1-2. The team averaged 4 goals per game in these games.
In terms of their offensive performance, the Maple Leafs are averaging 3.5 goals per game this season, putting them in the 12th spot in the NHL. When it comes to shots on goal per game, they are ranked 22nd in the league. Toronto’s offense is currently ranked 16th in power play goals. When it comes to shorthanded goals, they are 19th in the league.
The leading scorer for Toronto’s offense is Auston Matthews. Coming into the game he has 21 goals, ranking 1st in the NHL. Matthews also comes into the game with 11 assists.
The Maple Leafs defense is currently 21st in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 32 shots per game against Toronto. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 21st with 1 shutouts.
Goalie Ilya Samsonov gets the start and has made 12 starts this season. His record at this point is 5-1, and his save percentage is 88.4%.