WA-TOR-MatthewsInjury4Nations Thursday night is the ultimate opportunity for NHL fans, with a loaded slate of thrilling matchups that fans eagerly anticipate. The game that sticks out is the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting a fellow contender for the Eastern conference title in the New Jersey Devils. For bettors, this matchup provides a chance to capitalize on some of our recent strong trends, like our 24-15 record on our last 39 picks and our 14-8 record on our last 22 player prop picks. All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly. Bet: Devils Maple Leafs Over 5.5 goals (-115), Auston Matthews anytime goal (+105) The Devils started to slide as of late when they dropped four straight games but have since rebounded with a 2-0-2 record in their last four games. They are starting to climb out of the hole but they have just one regulation win in their last eight games. They travel to the six to take on a Leafs team that is running opposite to the Devils with five straight wins following by three straight losses heading into Thursday. More NHL: Exploring Impact of Potential JT Miller Return to New York Rangers [https://thehockeynews.com/betting/futures/exploring-impact-of-potential-jt-miller-return-to-new-york-rangers] Toronto's run of success at home this season has quickly faded with a 3-5-0 record and a 3.75 goals against average in their last eight games at Scotiabank arena. Coincidentally, the Devils have been bad on the road with one of the worst records as of late at 1-5-1 with a 1.86 goals against average in their last seven road games. Both teams are entering this matchup not at their best but maybe we can catch something when examining their past history. Toronto holds a significant advantage in this department with a 13-2-1 record in their last 16 matchups versus New Jersey. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr6MVj2oMm8[/embed] This is in large part due to the Leafs captain Auston Matthews dominating in this matchup with points in 16 of his 20 career games versus the Devils where he tallied 19 goals and ten assists for 29 points. The Arizona native is starting to get hot with goals in five of his last seven games and should excel against Jacob Markstrom, who has a 5-9-2 record versus Toronto. I expect a high-scoring affair between two teams with struggling defensive units but wouldn't count on a Leafs win as the Devils are starting to pick up steam. Check Out: Oilers Road to Second Stanley Cup Finals May Be Tougher Than Expected [https://thehockeynews.com/betting/futures/oilers-road-to-second-stanley-cup-finals-may-be-tougher-than-expected] Check Out: Exploring Impact of Potential Brock Nelson Trade to Minnesota Wild [https://thehockeynews.com/betting/futures/exploring-impact-of-potential-brock-nelson-trade-to-minnesota-wild] Check Out: Team Canada, Team USA Listed As Co-Favorites To Win The 4 Nations Face-Off [https://thehockeynews.com/betting/futures/team-canada-team-usa-listed-as-co-favorites-to-win-the-4-nations-face-off-in-february] Check out The Hockey News Betting Roundtable forum to get involved in the conversation by sharing your picks in the comment section below
