Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 4/9/2022

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON

Where to watch: CBC, TVAS, SNE, SNO, SNP

DraftKings: Check back later

BetMGM: Check back later

Caesars: Check back later

Canadiens: 20-40-11

Maple Leafs: 46-19-6

Don’t look, Toronto fans. PTSD trigger incoming from the frightening madness from last season. But hey, if there’s any solace for the Maple Leafs this time around is that they will not be risking the embarrassment of losing to the Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

 

And perhaps that might be what Toronto likes about this whole situation, but I’m certainly not one to give the Maple Leafs the benefit of the doubt, even if that means they have the MVP of the league this year because Auston Matthews has become an eater of worlds at this current point of time, and man it’s kind of fun to see.

 

Matthews scored twice to give him 56 goals on the year, breaking the Toronto single-season record, including the game-winning goal in overtime to give Toronto a 4-3 win against the Dallas Stars on Thursday. Morgan Rielly added a goal as well as the Toronto offense continued humming at the right time. Even with Jack Campbell playing his worst game of the season in allowing three goals on 18 shots, Toronto still found a way to win.

 

“I just saw the puck go in, and I was just so excited honestly,” Matthews said. ”There really was not that much else to it. (Toronto defenseman Mark Giordano) made a really nice pass and he put it right in my wheelhouse, so I just tried to attack the puck and I was able to sneak it in. So it was a lot of stuff going through my mind.”

 

Another thing going through his mind right now? Just how dominant Matthews’ season has been. For all the talk of McDavid, Draisaitl, and even Shesterkin, no one has come even closer to doing what Matthews has done. Not only is he creeping on 60 goals, he’s already cracked 100 points this season. At this rate, there’s not much more that needs to be said other than the man has been great.

 

But of course, that’s what we need to talk about when the playoffs come. The Leafs just haven’t been who they need to be in the playoffs. Maybe this is the year things turn for the better. Unless they play the Boston Bruins in the first round, then hell has made its way to Earth once again and we can just accept the world for what it is: Cursed and with no meaning.

 

Unless you hate the Leafs and want to laugh maniacally at their misfortunes, that’s OK, too.

 

But let’s be honest: The Leafs are going to have PTSD from last year’s elimination based on the fact the Canadiens are playing better than I think anyone would’ve ever expected under interim coach Martin St. Louis. So I ask this with no ill-will toward the Leafs bettors at all: Would we really be surprised if Montreal beat Toronto? I don’t think so, which is why that underdog line looks so enticing.

 

Three different players – Christian Dvorak, Chris Wideman and Kale Clague – had a goal and two assists each, and Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki had a goal and assist each to propel the Habs to a 7-4 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday. Ever since St. Louis came on to coach this group, the identity has been found and they’ve been playing so much better. It truly is awesome to see with this young group.

 

“He was great again,” Montreal’s Jake Evans said about Jake Allen, who made 33 saves and has been the go-to in net while Carey Price continues to rehab from offseason hip surgery. “I think we had a pretty good start to the game, and then I think we got a little comfortable and were making some not-smart plays, and he held us in there and kept the lead for us.”

While it would be hilarious for the narrative if Montreal went into Toronto and won again, I can’t in good conscience think Toronto loses this game. The Leafs might be annoying to deal with, but as long as Matthews continues this ridiculous pace, good luck trying to get me to think they’ll be slowing down any time soon. Maple Leafs win 5-3

Canadiens are 2-11 this season after three or more consecutive overs.

Canadiens are 22-36 the last three seasons after allowing three goals or more in the three straight games.

Maple Leafs are 21-10 this season following a non-conference game.

Maple Leafs are 18-4 this season after winning four of their last five games.

Canadiens:

Rem Pitlick -- Nick Suzuki -- Cole Caufield

Mike Hoffman -- Jake Evans -- Josh Anderson

Paul Byron -- Christian Dvorak -- Joel Armia

Tyler Pitlick -- Ryan Poehling -- Jesse Ylonen

Alexander Romanov -- David Savard

Joel Edmundson -- Justin Barron

Jordan Harris -- Corey Schueneman

Jake Allen

Maple Leafs:

Michael Bunting -- Auston Matthews -- Mitchell Marner

Ilya Mikheyev -- John Tavares -- Alexander Kerfoot

William Nylander -- David Kampf -- Pierre Engvall

Nicholas Abruzzese -- Colin Blackwell -- Wayne Simmonds

Morgan Rielly -- Ilya Lyubushkin

TJ Brodie -- Justin Holl

Jake Muzzin -- Mark Giordano

Jack Campbell

Points: Nick Suzuki -- 53

Goals: Nick Suzuki -- 19

Assists: Nick Suzuki -- 34

Goalie: Jake Allen -- 9-20-4, 3.29 GAA, .904 SV%

Points: Auston Matthews -- 97

Goals: Auston Matthews -- 56

Assists: Mitch Marner -- 58

Goalie: Jack Campbell -- 27-9-5, 2.72 GAA, .912 SV%