The Toronto Maple Leafs are 4-10 SU in the 14 games that backup goaltender Michael Hutchinson has started this season. The Maple Leafs will try to get a win with their backup goaltender starting on the road against the New York Rangers.
- Date/Time: February 5, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: Madison Square Garden
- TV Coverage: RSN
- Sportsbook Odds: Maple Leafs -140 / O/U 7
- Maple Leafs vs Rangers Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The lines have remained steady on this game since Sportsbook with Toronto as a -140 road favorite over the Rangers at +120 at home and the total at a whopping 7 goals. This will be just the second time this season that Toronto has played a game with a posted total of over 6.5 and marks the first time for New York. In the Maple Leafs’ last game with the total set at 7, the game went comfortably UNDER in a 2-1 win over Ottawa.
Toronto News & Notes
The Maple Leafs outshot the Florida Panthers 34-21 on Monday night and controlled the tempo for most of the night. But after Frederik Andersen left the game with a neck injury in the third period, backup goaltender Michael Hutchinson gave up three goals on 13 shots as Toronto went on to lose the game 5-3, snapping a three-game winning streak. Hutchinson has struggled all season long with a 4-8-1 record, a 3.62 goals-against average and a .886 save percentage in 14 appearances.
With Andersen listed as day to day with this neck injury, Hutchinson will get the start on Wednesday night. There have been at least eight total goals scored in five of the last eight games that Hutchinson has appeared in.
New York News & Notes
The Rangers will also be starting a backup goaltender on Wednesday night with Igor Shesterkin reportedly set to get the assignment at home against the Maple Leafs. Shesterkin has played well through his first four NHL starts this season, earning a 3-1 record with a 2.51 GAA and a .927 save percentage thus far.
New York had a two-game winning streak snapped in a 5-3 loss at home to the Dallas Stars on Monday night, dropping to 1-3 over the team’s last four games at Madison Square Garden since going 5-0-0 in its previous five at home.
The Rangers will need to bring their A-game on offense Wednesday night as their two previous games against Toronto this season have been high-scoring affairs. Toronto defeated New York 6-3 on the road and the Rangers beat the Maple Leafs 5-4 in Toronto.
Betting Pick: Rangers Moneyline
All signs point to another shootout in New York, but 7 goals is an awfully high total to try to hit. There should be some value on the Rangers as a home underdog facing a team with a struggling backup goaltender.
- Toronto is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games on the road.
- New York is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The total has gone OVER in 8 of New York’s last 11 games at home.
