The Leafs haven’t been on top of their game this season and the heartbreaking 6-4 loss at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks game yesterday only magnified their continued struggles. The Leafs get no time to dwell on it as they head south of the border for a tangle with a well rested Seattle Kraken team. The Kraken dropped their last game against the red-hot Edmonton Oilers earning their third straight loss; however, they still have a stunning 11-4-3 record since the middle of December compared to the Leafs who have only managed 17 points in their last 18 games.
It should be a fun game as both teams try to break out of their slump. If you are looking to gain some positive momentum going into the weekend, here is our best bet for Sunday night’s matchup that should help you get a win.
All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Please gamble responsibly.
Pick: Over 5.5 goals (-165)
The Maple Leafs are averaging 3.49 goals with Auston Matthews and William Nylander leading the way with goals, it's a given they can score game in and game out with the two combining for 60 goals this season. They seen seven or more goals in two straight games and should see another over game with their continued struggles on the backend, allowing 3.26 goals against per game and leaving struggling netminder Ilya Samsonov in the dark.
As for the Kraken, they only maintain an average of 2.78 goals scored per game but with the Maple Leafs on the second half of a back-to-back and most likely turning to Samsonov, the Kraken offense should thrive. Samsonov owns an .863 save percentage this season and has allowed three-plus goals in five consecutive outings.
Pick: Mitch Marner anytime goal (+210)
The Toronto native seems to thrive against the Kraken in the few times they have faced each other. The last time the two teams met, Marner had a huge game finding the back of the net three times for the hat-trick. In the five games, he also managed to earn seven points.
He hasn’t been the main goal threat for the Buds as Matthews garners the most attention from opposing defenses, but Marner still scores in bunches with 20 goals and 50 points in 44 games this season.