NHL Hockey: Toronto Maple Leafs at Philadelphia Flyers – Leafs Favored
Team Page: Toronto :: Philadelphia
50% of Bets Placed on Toronto -155 | Matchup | Goalies
The Toronto Maple Leafs look to avoid falling further behind in the Eastern Conference playoff race on Saturday by taking advantage of a matchup with the league-worst Philadelphia Flyers for the second time in 10 days.
Oddsmakers have made Toronto -155 money line (NHL Odds) favorites for todays game, the over/under has been set at 6 total goals (View NHL Sports Books).
Toronto (29-23-9) has lost two straight and five of seven to fall to 10th in the East standings, two points out of the eighth and final playoff spot.
The Maple Leafs fell a point behind the ninth-place Islanders with a 3-2 shootout loss to New York on Thursday. Three of Toronto’s last four losses have come after regulation.
"It’s frustrating, but we got a point," said goalie Andrew Raycroft, who made 28 saves. "We’re right there (in the playoff chase). It’s not like we lost eight points. If you’re going to lose, at least get a point out of it."
The Maple Leafs won eight of nine road games from Jan. 4-Feb. 6, outscoring opponents 31-13 in those wins and improving to 16-9-3 away from Toronto, the third-best road record in the league at that point.
Toronto, though, has dropped two of its last three games on the road. The only win in that span came at Philadelphia, 4-2 on Feb. 15.
It was the Leafs’ fourth win in a row at Philadelphia since Jan. 16, 2004. Toronto has won four straight and six of seven overall against the Flyers (16-36-9), who have lost three straight and are the only team in the NHL that hasn’t accumulated 50 points.
Philadelphia also has the league’s worst home record at 5-17-7. No other team in the NHL has fewer than 11 home wins.
The Flyers are 1-3-1 since trading captain Peter Forsberg, including a 3-2 overtime loss to Carolina on Thursday. Philadelphia came back from a two-goal deficit only to give up a shorthanded goal 16 seconds into the extra period.
"We battled our way back into the game and we missed our opportunity there at the end with the power play," center Mike Richards said.
The Flyers’ three-game skid coincides with the departure of second-leading scorer Mike Knuble, who broke multiple bones in his face in a Feb. 17 collision. Knuble underwent successful Wednesday, and is expected to miss about a month.
Toronto captain Mats Sundin is pointless in the last two games, and the Leafs have won only three times in 20 games this season when he has failed to register a point.
by: Gary Roberts – theSpread.com – Email Us
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