PREMIUM
Stephen Nover's NHL Saturday Destroyer
(NHL) Toronto vs. Vancouver,
Money Line: -165.00 Vancouver (Home)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -165.00 Vancouver (Home)
Result: Loss
It's getting a little pricey to fade the Maple Leafs these days - but still worth it.
Toronto is a dead team, already thinking of next season. The Maple Leafs have shaken up their roster, are dealing with multiple injuries that may prevent them from having three of their top four scorers in this game, have poor goalies, are horrendous on the road and last won at Vancouver in 2003.
So, yeah, I'd lay this price.
Vancouver can't - and won't - take Toronto lightly. The Canucks are chasing down a playoff berth. They absolutely can't take a home loss here. Vancouver enters the matchup with the confidence of winning its past two - both in a road underdog role - and having won the past seven times at home versus Toronto.
This marks Toronto's fourth of five road games in a row. The Maple Leafs are giving up an average of five goals per game in losing each of the first three games on the trip. Toronto is 3-10-2 in its last 15 games. Its morale was hurt when ownership shipped veteran defenseman Dion Phaneuf to Ottawa recently.
The Maple Leafs have won only 12 of their last 55 road contests and neither of their goalies, James Reimer nor Jonathan Bernier, installs confidence. Bernier is likely to get the start. He's dropped four consecutive road starts with a 3.82 GAA in those games.
Toronto is a dead team, already thinking of next season. The Maple Leafs have shaken up their roster, are dealing with multiple injuries that may prevent them from having three of their top four scorers in this game, have poor goalies, are horrendous on the road and last won at Vancouver in 2003.
So, yeah, I'd lay this price.
Vancouver can't - and won't - take Toronto lightly. The Canucks are chasing down a playoff berth. They absolutely can't take a home loss here. Vancouver enters the matchup with the confidence of winning its past two - both in a road underdog role - and having won the past seven times at home versus Toronto.
This marks Toronto's fourth of five road games in a row. The Maple Leafs are giving up an average of five goals per game in losing each of the first three games on the trip. Toronto is 3-10-2 in its last 15 games. Its morale was hurt when ownership shipped veteran defenseman Dion Phaneuf to Ottawa recently.
The Maple Leafs have won only 12 of their last 55 road contests and neither of their goalies, James Reimer nor Jonathan Bernier, installs confidence. Bernier is likely to get the start. He's dropped four consecutive road starts with a 3.82 GAA in those games.
