New Jersey Devils vs. Toronto Maple Leafs: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 11/17/2022

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON

Where to watch: SNO, MSG, MSGSN2

DraftKings: Maple Leafs -145, Devils +125

FanDuel: Maple Leafs -152, Devils +126

BetMGM: Maple Leafs -145, Devils +120

Caesars: Maple Leafs -145, Devils +122

Devils: 13-3-0 (26 points)

Maple Leafs: 9-5-3 (21 points)

Devils: won 10 straight; won 5-1 at Canadiens on Tuesday

Maple Leafs: won 5-2 at Penguins on Tuesday

This game sucks so bad from a narrative perspective.

Think about this. The New Jersey Devils, on a 10-game winning streak, looking like the real deal and one of the top three best teams in hockey. The best story in the league right now. The team that you want to root for because they haven’t had much to root for in a long time and they’re trying to save everyone associated with that team.

They’re putting that 10-game winning streak on the line … against the Toronto Maple Leafs. A team that would absolutely throw a parade in downtown Toronto if they beat the team with the longest winning streak in the league. Or at least the fans would hoist the Stanley Cup for fun if that happened on Thursday in Toronto.

Just when it feels like the Devils are on the way to a loss given the situation for it to happen, they go out and dominate. New Jersey put the win streak to double digits with a 5-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, a team I thought would be able to out-hit, be more physical with.

But on this night, it was Jack Hughes scoring twice, Dougie Hamilton and Jesper Bratt with two points each, to prevent the Devils from losing for the first time in almost a month. You have to go back to Oct. 24 to find the last time a team knocked out the greatest team in NHL history. Oh, and Vitek Vanecek is making Mackenzie Blackwood look expendable by the day with 25 saves and another victory.

"We were loose in the first period, trading chances, and weren't really committed to getting above the puck and preventing opportunities," Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. "And I've got to give [the Canadiens] some credit. They skated well, they hit a few holes on us. I thought the first period both goalies really made big saves."

The Devils have been that good, and they’re getting everything they want from their star players, and even enough production from the back end. It’s just the goaltending that’s surprising me. Vanecek was a cast-away from Washington so that the Capitals could sign Darcy Kuemper. He was viewed as a backup. He’s shining right now in New Jersey and it’s truly incredible.

Now if only the Maple Leafs could get that kind of goaltending. Maybe Tuesday’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins will go a long way in doing that. Most of what happened that night could be attributed to Matt Murray returning from injury and sticking it to his former team, but take with that what you will.

Murray made 35 saves in his return from an adductor injury that kept him out for nearly a month, and also made his first start in Pittsburgh since he was traded to Ottawa in October 2020.

"Tonight felt great," Murray said. "It was great to be back. I'm looking forward to one game at a time here. I'm feeling great, really enjoying myself. Had a great time tonight, a great experience here tonight. I'm looking forward."

John Tavares chipped in his 400th goal in the NHL, and Mitch Marner also scored to extend his point streak to 10 games, so things are going up Toronto right now.

"Just a big win," Tavares said. "Just that more meaningful when you do it on a night where we get two points and the group plays well, everyone contributes. Get a big win for Matt. A good feeling tonight on the plane. Then when we get back home, kind of push it aside, regroup and get ready for Thursday."

But that train will not stop here. New Jersey has the better goalie right now, the better defense, and the better depth at forward. If the Devils roll all four lines like they have, there’s not any that can stop this unit right now. Devils win 4-2 

Devils are 45-32 on the road after scoring 4 goals or more in 2 straight games since 1996.

Devils are 74-56 on the road when they score 5 goals in their previous game since 1996.

Maple Leafs are 8-11 at home after allowing 2 goals or less in 2 straight games the last 3 seasons.

Maple Leafs are 23-3 at home after playing on the road the last 2 seasons.

Devils:

Tomas Tatar -- Nico Hischier -- Fabian Zetterlund

Yegor Sharangovich -- Jack Hughes -- Jesper Bratt

Erik Haula -- Dawson Mercer -- Jesper Boqvist

Miles Wood -- Michael McLeod -- Nathan Bastian

Jonas Siegenthaler -- Dougie Hamilton

Ryan Graves -- John Marino

Brendan Smith -- Damon Severson

Vitek Vanecek

Maple Leafs:

Michael Bunting -- Auston Matthews -- William Nylander

Alexander Kerfoot -- John Tavares -- Mitchell Marner

Pierre Engvall -- Pontus Holmberg -- Calle Jarnkrok

Zach Aston-Reese -- David Kampf -- Denis Malgin

Morgan Rielly -- Jordie Benn

Mark Giordano -- Justin Holl

Rasmus Sandin -- Timothy Liljegren

Matt Murray

Points: Jesper Bratt -- 21

Goals: Nico Hischier -- 8

Assists: Jesper Bratt -- 15

Goalie: Vitek Vanecek -- 7-1-1, 2.18 GAA, .915 SV%

Points: Mitch Marner -- 19

Goals: John Tavares -- 9

Assists: Mitch Marner -- 15

Goalie: Ilya Samsonov -- 2-2-3, 2.86 GAA, .893 SV%