Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, Preview and Odds - 04/18/2023

Game Time: 7:30 pm ET, Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Venue:  Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON

Where to Watch:  ESPN

DraftKings:  Moneyline:  Lightning +125, Maple Leafs -145; Over/Under:  6 goals

Bet365:  Moneyline:  Lightning +125, Maple Leafs -145; Over/Under:  6 goals

BetMGM:  Moneyline:  Lightning +125, Maple Leafs -145; Over/Under:  6 goals

Tampa Bay Lightning:  46-30-6 (3rd place, Atlantic Division)

Toronto Maple Leafs:  50-21-11 (2nd place, Atlantic Division)

Do not miss out on our expert handicapper analysis! Will Rogers is on a HOCKEY HOT STREAK lately as he is a PERFECT 5-0 L5 NHL! Make sure you check out his picks and many more from the expert handicappers featured in the Shop Picks section.

Tampa Bay Lightning:  4-6-0 last 10

Toronto Maple Leafs:  7-1-2 last 10

The Lightning are entering this game finishing the regular season with 98 points, a 46-30-6 record overall, and they were 18-22-1 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off of a win against the Detroit Red Wings in their last game, winning that one at home 5-0. Brayden Point scored 2 goals in that game while Brandon Hagel, Alex Killorn, and Mikey Eyssimont each had 1 goal. Ross Colton and Mikhail Sergachev each led the team in assists with 2 while Brayden Point led the team in shots on net in that game with 5. Brian Elliott was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 0 goals on 32 shots with 32 saves and a 1.000 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 283 goals this season averaging 3.5 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 254 goals against them allowing 3.1 goals per game.

The Maple Leafs are entering this game finishing the regular season with 111 points, a 50-21-11 record overall, and they were 27-8-6 in their home games this regular season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 4 game winning streak with wins coming against the Montreal Canadiens, the Florida Panthers, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the New York Rangers in their last game, winning that one on the road 3-2. Noel Acciari, Timothy Liljegren, and William Nylander each had 1 goal. David Kämpf, Jake McCabe, and Ryan O'Reilly each led the team in assists with 1 while William Nylander led the team in shots on net in that game with 6. Joseph Woll was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 2 goals on 24 shots with 22 saves and a .917 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 279 goals this season averaging 3.4 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 222 goals against them allowing 2.7 goals per game.

The current betting odds have the Leafs listed as a favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. This is game 1 of a 7-game series between the Lightning and the Maple Leafs for the 1st round of the NHL Eastern Conference playoffs. The Lightning have been one of the best teams in the NHL over the last 3 seasons with their 2 Stanley Cup wins and going back to the finals last year, but this is not the same team as previous years and it really reflected in the season they had. The Leafs always manage to choke in the playoffs but even this is a very different Leafs team as they finished with 111 points this season and were great on home ice all year, going 27-8-6 in their home games. They ended the season on a 4 game winning streak, including a win over the Lightning during that run, and they have been playing much better hockey than the Lightning leading into the playoffs. The Leafs were kicked out of the playoffs last year by the Lightning in what was a heartbreaking series for them but these players still remember that and they will be looking to get their revenge in this series, opening it up with a win on home ice. The best way to place a bet here is on the Leafs to win this game.

Lightning Maple Leafs Prediction:  Our NHL Pick for Tuesday, April 18, 2023 (7:30 pm ET start time) is Maple Leafs 4 Lightning 2.

Don't miss our champion handicappers free picks and expert hockey picks today. And if you enjoyed this Tampa Bay Lightning Toronto Maple Leafs prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our weekly NHL predictions and previews.

Tampa Bay Lightning: 45-36 (-8 units) on the moneyline in all games. 12-14 (-10.2 units) on the moneyline vs. division opponents. 23-14 OVER in April games. 24-18 OVER off a win or tie in their previous game. 

Toronto Maple Leafs: 71-29 (+8.6 units) on the moneyline in a home game where the total is 6 or more. 75-40 (+6.3 units) on the moneyline after playing a road game. 10-2 OVER after 3 straight close wins by 1 goal. 15-8 OVER after a 4 game unbeaten streak.

Tampa Bay Lightning:  T. Jeannot (LW) day-to-day - Lower Body. B. Seabrook (D) out for season - Shoulder.

Toronto Maple Leafs:  S. Lafferty (RW) day-to-day - Personal. M. Giordano (D) day-to-day - Undisclosed. V. Mete (D) Late April - Lower Body. M. Murray (G) Out indefinitely - Head. E. Gustafsson (D) Ques Wed - Personal. J. Tavares (C) Ques Wed - Undisclosed. B. McMann (C) Out indefinitely - Knee. I. Samsonov (G) Out indefinitely - Personal. J. Muzzin (D) out for season - Neck. N. Robertson (LW) out for season - Shoulder.

“He’s been the straw that’s stirred the drink for this team pretty much all year.” - Jon Cooper on Brayden Point after his team’s win against the Red Wings in their final game of the regular season. 

“It was a good third period for us to get a win. And Woll was excellent.” - Sheldon Keefe after his team’s win against the Rangers in their final game of the regular season.

LW Stamkos, Steven

C Point, Brayden

RW Kucherov, Nikita

LD Kucherov, Nikita

RD Raddysh, Darren

G Vasilevskiy, Andrei

LW Bunting, Michael

C Matthews, Auston

RW Marner, Mitchell

LD Brodie, TJ

RD Holl, Justin

G Woll, Joseph

Points: N. Kucherov (113)

Goals: B. Point (51)

Assists: N. Kucherov (83)

GAA: A. Vasilevskiy (2.65)

Points: M. Marner (99)

Goals: W. Nylander (40)

Assists: M. Marner (69)

GAA: J. Alexander (0.00)

Coaches:

Tampa Bay Lightning: Jon Cooper (11th season)

Toronto Maple Leafs: Sheldon Keefe (4th season)