Toronto vs Colorado: Maple Leafs to resist Avalanche

Toronto is on a phenomenal run. Sheldon Keefe's team won 14 of their last 16 games. Will the Colorado Avalanche be able to stop this machine? The Avalanche have also gained some great form with 7 wins in 8 games. Let's pick a few options to bet on. 

The Maple Leafs are beating everyone wherever they are. The matchup with Colorado will be Toronto's first home game in almost two weeks. Just yesterday, the Leafs flew in from California, where they spent three quarters of the road trip. The result is 100%. Four games, four wins in regulation time. The New York Islanders, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Anaheim were defeated in turn.

In total, Toronto already have 16 wins in 23 games since the start of the season. The Maple Leafs are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference standings, behind only Alexander Ovechkin's Washington.

Toronto's current success seems to be based on two secrets – the excellent work of goaltender Jack Campbell and finding balance in scoring line combinations. The trio of Bunting-Matthews-Marner and Kerfoot-Tavares-Nylander keep up to the high level both offensively and defensively. The bottom line, on the other hand, can sometimes seem to let up, although so far the Spezza and Kampf links are holding up well without having a significant impact on the outcome.

The stretch the Avalanche approach the game in Toronto with feels as if it's officially stating the Denver team's claim this season. Jared Bednar's Colorado won seven of their previous eight games. During that stretch, the Avalanche have scored 7 pucks each against Seattle, Ottawa, Vancouver; and 6 goals each against San Jose and Nashville. A deadly offense that has worked so far even without any talk of defense.

Characteristically, such a dramatic increase in efficiency came as soon as Nathan MacKinnon was injured. The Avalanche’s leader and captain is to come back for the game against Toronto. Are we now expecting another slump from Colorado, or is it all working out completely wrong? Most likely, neither Coach Bednar nor the hockey players fully understand it. In the game against Toronto, therefore, the answers will find themselves.

• Toronto: Ilya Mikheev, Ondrej Kase, Petr Mrazek – not playing;
• Colorado: Martin Kaut, J. T. Compher, Stefan Matteau, Pavel Francouz – not playing. Ryan Murray – questionable.

There have been only away victories since November of 2015 (4-4), apart from Colorado’s home win in overtime in 2017.

The thought that Colorado's playing difficulties, particularly in the playoffs, are linked to not the most proper use of Nathan MacKinnon should be put to the test. And it seems the upcoming matchup will prove many things. Toronto will play very carefully, making life as difficult as possible for the creative forces of Colorado. But whether the Avalanche will be able to stop the scoring stars of the Maple Leafs is a big question.

Prediction: Toronto will be closer to victory.

• Toronto Not To Lose + Total Under (7.5) for 1.90;
• Toronto To Win In Regulation Time for 2.20;
• Correct Score 4-2 for 26.0.