Canucks +165 Road Underdogs As Maple Leafs Look to Win Three in a Row
- The Vancouver Canucks visit the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday (February 29, 7pm ET)
- Both teams have collectively hit the over in 12 of their last 14 contests.
- See the odds and best bet for tonight’s game, which sees Vancouver as the away underdog
The Canucks vs Maple Leafs odds have Toronto at -190 to win versus the Vancouver Canucks. Both teams have played roughly .500 hockey over their last 10 contests and in the month of February. Toronto came out on top with a 4-1 victory when the teams initially met back in December.
Vancouver has been led by forward JT Miller and rookie defenseman Quinn Hughes this month, who have 15 points each in their last 12 games this month. Toronto’s best players have been Auston Matthews and John Tavares, who have 16 points over 14 games in February.
Vancouver Canucks vs Toronto Maple Leafs Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | +1.5 (-145) | +165 | O 6.5 (-135) |
| Toronto | -1.5 (+125) | -190 | U 6.5 (+115) |
Odds taken February 28.
Maple Leafs Struggle Covering at Home
Overall this season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are 33-31 in covering money line wagers, and 27-37 with the spread. These numbers worsen when looking at Toronto’s home track record when covering the spread and money line wagers. At home and as the favorites at home, Toronto is 15-16.
Maple Leafs lose at home to the Stars by a score of 2 to 3. 👎 #LeafsForever #DALvsTOR
Next Game: Thursday February 13 @ 07:00PM vs. Dallas Stars (at Scotiabank Arena)! pic.twitter.com/VcOHxhBaYh
— Toronto Maple Leafs Game Bot (@MapleLeafsBot) February 14, 2020
At home overall and when the favorites at home, the Leafs have gone 9-22 at covering the spreads. Toronto is 16-9-7 at home overall this season, and has won three of their last five home contests going into tonight. Although both teams have struggled this month, it could be worth taking advantage of Toronto’s recent ineptness to cover spreads and lines on home ice.
Both Teams Hitting the Over Lately
Despite their recent lackluster performance in the standings, Toronto and Vancouver have played in very high-scoring games this month. Vancouver has hit the over in seven of their last eight games, while the Leafs have achieved the same feat in five of their last six.
A total of 42 goals were scored in Toronto’s last six games, averaging out to seven goals a contest. Vancouver has seen a total of 57 goals scored over their last eight matches, which averages out to 7.12 goals a game. As home favorites, Toronto is 15-15-1 with totals. Vancouver is 15-11-1 as road underdogs. On the road, Vancouver is 19-11-1, whereas Toronto is 15-15-1 at home.
Canucks Have Second-Best Power Play in February
One particular category the Canucks have triumphed in over the last month is the power play. Since February, Vancouver has the second-best power play (30.3%). Over the last four weeks, Vancouver has had 33 power play opportunities (T-23rd in NHL), scoring on 10 of those chances (T-3rd in NHL).
Quinn Hughes collected his 43rd assist of 2019-20 and established a #Canucks record for most in a season by a rookie, eclipsing the previous mark of 42 set by fellow d-man Dale Tallon in 1970-71.
Also, he holds the franchise record for most power play points by a rookie with 24. pic.twitter.com/HLpRLLIYjC
— The NHL Tracker (@thenhltracker) February 28, 2020
Vancouver hasn’t had many power play opportunities in general during that span, but their conversion rate is worth acknowledging. All 33 of Vancouver’s power play opportunities this month were five-on-four. Defenseman Quinn Hughes also has the franchise’s record of most power play points by a rookie (24).
Best Bets
This will be a meaningful game for both teams, who need all the points they can get to stay in their respective conference’s playoff races. Both team’s records are essentially identical. Usually in that situation, it’s wise to go with the home team, however Toronto’s struggles covering lines and spreads at home ought to make one think twice.
It’s also hard to not ignore how both teams have succeeded at hitting the overs in their recent stretches of games. However, when these teams met two months earlier, the 4-1 score hit the under. But with Jacob Markstrom’s injury and Vancouver being on the road, they’ll be at a disadvantage that will be hard to overcome.
The Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs -1.5 (+125), Over 6.5 (-135)
Mike has been covering the NHL for over 10 years, having first started publishing fan-written content on independent sites like Hockeybuzz.com and more credentialed sites such as Hockey Guys. He is now a contributor for Pucks and Pitchforks. He currently lives in Westchester County, New York.
