The Toronto Maple Leafs will head on the road to UBS Arena on Saturday evening for an Eastern Conference showdown against the New York Islanders.
Toronto comes in with 51 points to go along with a 24-10-3 overall record in 37 games, good for third place in the Atlantic Division standings. Meanwhile, the Islanders have overcome a 5-10-5 start to climb back to 14-13-6 so far this year. New York has won seven of its previous eight games to improve to 34 points through 33 games, good for sixth place in the Metropolitan Division standings.
Can Toronto bounce back with a win on the road in New York against the Islanders on Saturday night?
NHL Picks — Maples Leafs vs. Islanders Odds
When looking to make NHL picks and parlays on the Leafs Islanders game, hockey fans should shop for odds at the best NHL betting sites.
The NHL game lines that are featured below are from BetOnline, one of the best sportsbooks in the US. BetOnline has some of the best betting offers of any online sportsbook. New members can cash in on a sportsbook bonus worth up to $1,000 on their first deposit.
Puck Line:
Toronto Maple Leafs -1.5 (+153)
New York Islanders +1.5 (-173)
Moneyline:
Toronto Maple Leafs (-171)
NY Islanders (+151)
Total:
5.5
Free NHL Picks — Maple Leafs vs Islanders Preview
Toronto is looking to rebound from a tough loss. Meanwhile, the Islanders are riding high after winning three in a row.
Below, we’ll break down Saturday night’s Eastern Conference clash between the Maples Leafs and Islanders at UBS Arena.
Leafs Give Up Five Unanswered Goals in Loss vs Rangers
Toronto was unable to keep its momentum going on Wednesday, falling short 6-3 versus the New York Ranges. The Maples Leafs led 3-1 at the end of the first period but surrendered five unanswered goals en route to a tough loss. Ilya Mikheyev, Mitch Marner, and Michael Bunting all scored goals for Toronto while goaltender Jack Campbell allowed five goals on 26 shots in the loss.
Auston Matthews toe-dragged the puck around Barclay Goodrow pic.twitter.com/au5HlFWTAF
— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) January 20, 2022
Auston Matthews leads the team in scoring with 41 points, including a team-high 25 goals so far this season. Meanwhile, defenseman Morgan Reilly has racked up 27 assists so far this year, the most on the team. As a team, Toronto has scored 3.38 goals per game while ranking first in the league on the power play at 29.5 percent.
Backup goaltender Petr Mrazek is scheduled to patrol the crease for the Maple Leafs on Saturday night. Mrazek has compiled a disappointing 2-2-0 overall record to go along with a 2.59 GAA and .882 save percentage in four games this season. However, he will have a chance to return to the win column against an Isles team that is averaging a mere 2.20 goals per game at home this season, which ranks 31st in the NHL.
Islanders Blank Coyotes For Third Straight Win
The Islanders kept their current winning streak alive with a 4-0 victory at home versus the Arizona Coyotes. Brock Nelson scored two third-period goals while Scott Mayfield and Austin Czarnik each lit the lamp for the Islanders in the win. Meanwhile, netminder Ilya Sorokin notched his fourth shutout of the season with 17 saves on the night.
"No, no, no, no, yes!" — Semyon Varlamov, probably
📺: @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/CLqyKVUD2q pic.twitter.com/agSyWpAauo
— NHL (@NHL) January 19, 2022
Nelson leads the team with 13 goals while Mathew Barzal has tallied 17 assists and 24 points to lead the team in both categories. As a team, the Islanders have managed just 2.36 goals per game, including just 2.20 goals per game at home this season. They’ve also converted on only 17.2 percent of their opportunities with the man advantage, which ranks 23rd in the NHL.
Veteran netminder Semyon Varlamov is expected to patrol the crease for the Islanders on Saturday evening. The 33-year-old comes in with a 3-6-1 overall record to go along with a 2.61 GAA and .917 save percentage in 11 games (10 starts) this year. Despite poor overall numbers, the veteran appears to be rekindling the form that he displayed last season. He is 3-1-0 with a 1.49 GAA and .959 save percentage over his last four starts.
NHL Picks Today – Maple Leafs vs Islanders
Toronto comes into this matchup as heavy favorites on the road against a much hotter Islanders team. The Maple Leafs have not been able to sustain any momentum of late, as they have alternated wins and losses in each of their last six games. That hasn’t been the case for New York, which has won six of its last seven while compiling points in 13 of its last 16 games. Varlamov has also been trending up between the pipes, so there should be some value on the home team in this spot. Take New York to come out on top at home in this Eastern Conference battle on Saturday night.
NHL Expert Picks – Over 5.5
These two teams are projected for just 5.5 goals which seems like a low number here. Toronto has been one of the league’s best goal scoring teams, especially on the power play. Meanwhile, Mrazek has had his fair share of struggles while patrolling the crease in his first year in Toronto. He’s posted a save percentage under .900 in each of his first four starts. Take this game to go over the projected total at UBS Arena on Saturday.
Maple Leafs vs Islanders Betting Picks
Take the Islanders to win on the moneyline at BetOnline and earn up to $1,000 in free bonus cash.
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