Oilers Look to Take Advantage of Banged-Up Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Edmonton Oilers for the fifth time this season on Saturday night. Each team has won two meetings so far, with the Oilers winning 4-3 in overtime in their last game.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The game opened with the Maple Leafs as favorites at -120 and the line has shifted to even odds at most sportsbooks with the Leafs slight favorites at a couple others. The total opened at 6.5 and has stayed at that number with the OVER the favorite at most sportsbooks in the -115 to -120 range.

Toronto News & Notes

The Toronto Maple Leafs have been one of the strongest teams in the league this year as they rank in the top five in goals, overall chances, and high danger chances at even strength this season.

Led by two dynamic, young superstars, the Leafs top line has had no trouble putting the puck in the net. Auston Matthews leads the league with 18 goals and is tied for third in the league with 31 points in twenty games. Mitch Marner is fourth in the league with 30 points in 21 games.

If there is one thing that could derail the Leafs this season it is injuries and they are at risk of that starting to happen in their road trip to Edmonton. Starting goalie Frederik Andersen is questionable for Saturday’s game and has missed two games in a row. Matthews did not practice on Friday and is also questionable and Jake Muzzin, Joe Thornton and Alexander Barabanov will all miss Saturday’s game. Luckily for Toronto, backup goalie Jack Campbell is supposed to return from injury and make his third start of the year.

Edmonton News & Notes

As dynamic as the Leafs young duo is, the pair in Edmonton is unmatched league wide. Connor McDavid leads the league with 40 points this season and Leon Draisaitl is second with 34 points. The two have been incredibly consistent this year and are obviously a big reason for the Oilers great underlying offensive numbers.

The Oilers are first in the league with 49 even strength goals, sixth in the league in total scoring chances and third in high danger chances at 5v5. The defensive side of the rink is another story for the Oil, but after a slower start to the season, the team has stabilized and find themselves in second place in the division.

Maybe the biggest difference for the team’s turnaround has been the goaltending. Mikko Koskinen had to play ten straight games to start the season and won just four of ten. Mike Smith then returned from injury and played seven of the team’s next 12 games. The Oilers are 10-2 in that span, including five straight wins heading into Saturday.