Bruins vs Maple Leafs November 15 Prediction: Leafs Favored in Third Season Meeting

• Toronto enters this game at 9-7-4 and as the favorite at -113
• The Leafs look to stop a three-game slide after losing 5-4 to the Islanders on Tuesday
• Boston (+102) is coming off a 5-4 shootout loss to the Panthers and is winless in four games

The Boston Bruins will be looking to avenge a shootout collapse to the Panthers on Tuesday with Bruins vs Leafs odds place Boston as road underdogs for this game.

Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs Odds

Odds taken Nov. 15

NHL fans know the extensive history these teams have not only as Original Six members but also by the playoff battles in recent years including last year’s playoffs where the Bruins won in seven.

Their head to head record in the regular season is an extensive one too with these teams facing each other twice already on October 19th and October 22nd. The Leafs won 4-3 on the 19th while the Bruins prevailed 4-2 on October 22nd.

Leafs at the Quarter Mark of the Season

Toronto fell short in their 5-4 loss to the Islanders earlier this week extending their losing streak to three. Frederik Andersen had 25 saves in the Maple Leafs’ second game since the loss of Mitch Marner who is out four weeks due to a high-ankle sprain.

The Leafs have not met expectations nor have they matched their strong play of last fall where they were 14-6 after 20 games and now sit at 9-7-4. The line of Marner, Tavares and Zach Hyman has not played together due to injuries to all three players but the line of Johnsson, Matthews and Nylander have carried a big offensive load. Those three have accounted for 26 goals and 54 points.

1 week.
9 points.
⭐️⭐️

Congrats @AM34 on being named the @NHL's Second Star of the Week! #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/3x11FqoAvB

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 11, 2019

Toronto’s defense has not lived up to what was expected of them. Tyson Barrie was a big offseason pickup for the Leafs in exchange for Nazim Kadri. He is on pace for 20 points and has not scored yet this season, a big drop from the 60 point production expected of him. The Leafs have also given the puck away 251 times, more than all but three clubs in the NHL. Toronto also gives up the 11th most shots in the NHL.

“It’s obviously weighing on me a little bit…”

Tyson Barrie admits struggles have been tough with #MapleLeafs: https://t.co/56lc6zLpRx #TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/InVo26X6Iy

— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) November 14, 2019

Morgan Reilly leads the team with 17 points and is a plus-two and Jake Muzzin who has 10 points is a plus-three so the Leafs have a least two solid players at the position.

Still the Big Bad Bruins?

The Bruins currently sit first in the Atlantic Division with an 11-3 record, a plus-16 goal differential and a 6-2-2 record in their last 10. They do have consecutive losses to the Canadiens and Red Wings and shootout losses to the Flyers and Panthers heading into this game.

Boston was up 4-0 to the Panthers and lost 5-4 on a night when the lights briefly went out at the TD Garden with some suggesting that the mishap mirrors the Bruins current play.

The defense has hurt the Bruins recently as they have allowed 23 goals in their last six games. Over the first six games of the year, Boston allowed 10 goals.

The TD Garden lights are the real MVP on the Bruins' penalty kill. pic.twitter.com/Pwys5Wplbo

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) November 13, 2019

Shootouts have killed the Bruins having made only 1/11 attempts this season. Of the 26 teams to go to a shootout this season, only three have fared worse than the Bruins.

Best Bet

With the Hall of Fame Induction weekend in full swing and the Leafs and Bruins looking to both snap losing streaks, defense and goaltending will likely decide this one and Frederik Andersen should give Toronto an edge.

Pick Toronto (-113)