Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators: the Hosts to Outplay the Senators

Toronto and Ottawa will play the first match after a covid break. The Maple Leafs have already beaten the Senators at home this season. Will Sheldon Keefe's team duplicate the success? Let's choose several options for the bet.

The Maple Leafs stumble out of the gate of the playoffs from year to year, so it's too early to conclude Toronto's performance now. In the regular season, as usual, everything is fine. The team of Sheldon Keefe almost did not fail on their way to the title. On the eve of the match with Ottawa, the Buds occupy 3rd place in the Atlantic Division standings. Only Florida and Tampa Bay are ahead.

As an important achievement of the Leafs, the increased quality of defence is worth noting. Toronto is one of the lowest-conceding teams in the Eastern Conference.

Before the pause in the championship, D.J. Smith's team noticeably gained momentum. The Senators had a remarkable streak, winning 5 out of 8 matches. Ottawa defeated 8:2 Florida, beat 4:0 Tampa Bay and in overtime coped with Colorado. Impressive victories, however, have not yet significantly affected the Ottawa tournament placing. The team is still in 15th place in the East. Below – only Montreal.

Ottawa cannot count on the main goalkeeper Filip Forsberg, having an excellent season in the upcoming game. Gustafsson as a backup is not that bad, but he misses much more. It is unlikely that Toronto will struggle to win. The Maple Leafs have won the last five home games against the Senators regularly and will probably extend the series to 6 games. Prediction: a victory for Toronto.