Face-off: 1900 ET, 31/03/2022
Arena: Scotiabank Arena
Toronto and Winnipeg have both enhanced their playoffs prospects with a good run of results recently and this should be a hard-fought affair.
However, we just feel the Maple Leafs have proven themselves against better-class opponents than the Jets, so that points us in their direction.
We’re taking 2.9 for a home win in regular time and both teams to score at least twice in our Toronto Maple Leafs vs Winnipeg Jets predictions.
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Toronto Maple Leafs Odds
Toronto are 7-3-1 from their last 11 outings and lie third in the Atlantic Division after a crucial 6-4 victory at fourth-placed Boston.
The Bruins were on a 9-1-1 hot streak themselves heading into that game, but the Maple Leafs stormed into a 6-1 lead before fending off a late fightback.
Morgan Rielly had a goal and an assist, while Auston Matthews netted for the 49th time this season at TD Garden on Tuesday.
Asked to describe his side’s performance, head coach Sheldon Keefe beamed: “I’d say complete.
“Obviously, we gave up a couple of late ones in the third, but I just thought we didn’t give them a lot and managed a couple of response pushes that they had.
“It was a real patient game and we took advantage of the opportunities that we had.”
Toronto have also accounted for other high-flying outfits in Florida and Carolina over the past fortnight, so the value of their form looks rock-solid.
The Maple Leafs like to start fast, leading 80-54 in first-period goals this term, whereas Winnipeg are 59-61 down.
That makes NHL odds.
Winnipeg Jets Odds
Winnipeg are 11-4-1 from their last 15 fixtures, raising hopes that they could still creep into a wild card position.
Last night’s 3-2 triumph at Buffalo gave us an 11.0 pay-out with our correct score prediction and put the Jets just two points away from the playoffs.
Blake Wheeler scored in regular time and struck the deciding blow in a shootout, while Mason Appleton also netted and Connor Hellebuyck made 35 saves.
However, that was the third Winnipeg game in five days which went to overtime and the fatigue factor has to be feared here.
“I think we’re still kind of a tired team,” admitted captain Wheeler. “We just played five games in nine days.
“Hopefully, we can get back a little bit of jump in our step when we take on Toronto.
“We’ve got two more games, two big games, before we get a nice little break. We’ve just got to dig deep.”
There is also the worry that Winnipeg’s last three victims have been ranked 20, 25 and 31 in the standings, so this will be a much tougher test.
Let’s finish off our NHL predictions by taking 6.75 for the Maple Leafs to prevail by exactly two goals.
Additional stats
Last result:
Boston 4-6 TORONTO
WINNIPEG 2-1 Arizona (SO)
Season head-to-head: Winnipeg 6-3 Toronto
