PREMIUM
Rogers' NHL SURE SHOT >> 21-12 Past 9 Days!
(NHL) Toronto vs. Columbus,
Money Line: -155.00 Columbus (Home)
Result: Loss
Money Line: -155.00 Columbus (Home)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 47-18-6 Columbus Blue Jackets have already locked up a playoff berth with 100 points but find themselves in a three-way battle with Washington (102) and Pittsburgh (101) for the Metropolitan Division title and No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the 33-23-15 Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in a battle of their own, as the Leafs look to secure a playoff spot. They currently hold down the second wild card with 81 points, one point behind third-place Boston in the Atlantic Division with two games in hand. If Toronto can't catch Boston (to guarantee a spot), the Leafs will have to worry about the Islanders, who are three points behind them for that final wild card spot.
Toronto: The Maple Leafs have reached the postseason only once since the 2004-05 season was canceled by the NHL lockout but they are making a great closing effort this season, as they enter this contest 5-1-1 over their last seven games. Goalie Frederik Andersen was pulled after just one period in the team's lone defeat in its last seven (a 7-2 loss at Florida on March 14), the only time in his last nine appearances that he has surrendered more than two goals. Andersen shook off that performance and has turned aside 103 of 107 shots over the past three games (2-0-1) while sporting a .940 save percentage in his last 11 starts!
Columbus: The Blue Jackets last played on Sunday, when they clinched a playoff berth for the third time in franchise history with a 4-1 victory at New Jersey. The win extended their winning streak to four games and pushed their point total 100. They got 35 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky, who has won of seven straight starts, plus two goals from Boone Jenner, his first multi-goal game of the season. The Blue Jackets have won eight of 10 games this month,
The pick: The Maple Leafs are 5-1-1 their last seven but with less than three weeks to play in the regular season, Toronto needs to figure out how to win on the road consistently. The club is 4-7-2 and has failed to win back-to-back games in its last 13 away from home. Trying to win here In Columbus seems like a 'bridge too far,' as Bobrovsky is 7-0-0 with a 1.14 goals-against average, a .963 save percentage and three consecutive shutouts in March. He's stopped 211 of his last 219 shots faced and needs one win to reach 40 for the first time in his seven NHL seasons. Throw in the fact that he's 8-3-0 with two shutouts against the Maple Leafs in his career and you can make Columbus an 8* play.
Toronto: The Maple Leafs have reached the postseason only once since the 2004-05 season was canceled by the NHL lockout but they are making a great closing effort this season, as they enter this contest 5-1-1 over their last seven games. Goalie Frederik Andersen was pulled after just one period in the team's lone defeat in its last seven (a 7-2 loss at Florida on March 14), the only time in his last nine appearances that he has surrendered more than two goals. Andersen shook off that performance and has turned aside 103 of 107 shots over the past three games (2-0-1) while sporting a .940 save percentage in his last 11 starts!
Columbus: The Blue Jackets last played on Sunday, when they clinched a playoff berth for the third time in franchise history with a 4-1 victory at New Jersey. The win extended their winning streak to four games and pushed their point total 100. They got 35 saves from Sergei Bobrovsky, who has won of seven straight starts, plus two goals from Boone Jenner, his first multi-goal game of the season. The Blue Jackets have won eight of 10 games this month,
The pick: The Maple Leafs are 5-1-1 their last seven but with less than three weeks to play in the regular season, Toronto needs to figure out how to win on the road consistently. The club is 4-7-2 and has failed to win back-to-back games in its last 13 away from home. Trying to win here In Columbus seems like a 'bridge too far,' as Bobrovsky is 7-0-0 with a 1.14 goals-against average, a .963 save percentage and three consecutive shutouts in March. He's stopped 211 of his last 219 shots faced and needs one win to reach 40 for the first time in his seven NHL seasons. Throw in the fact that he's 8-3-0 with two shutouts against the Maple Leafs in his career and you can make Columbus an 8* play.
