The 2021-22 NHL season continues on Thursday with 10 matchups, including a showdown between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena.
Both teams are currently riding hot streaks ahead of their upcoming meeting. The Penguins have been proving that they can succeed away from PPG Paints Arena, winning each of their last six road games. On the other hand, the Maple Leafs have held down the fort up north of the border, winning their six most recent home games.
Will the Penguins continue their winning ways on the road? Or will the Maple Leafs win their seventh straight home game on Thursday? Here’s a preview of the upcoming game, including the latest odds from BetMGM.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Toronto Maple Leafs Matchup Info and Betting Odds
Matchup Info
- Game Matchup: Pittsburgh Penguins (31-11-8) vs Toronto Maple Leafs (31-12-3)
- Venue & Location: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, Canada)
- Date: Thursday, February 17, 2022
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- TV: ESPN+
Betting Odds
- Moneyline: Pittsburgh Penguins +125, Toronto Maple Leafs -150
- Total: OVER 6.5 (+100), UNDER 6.5 (-120)
- Puck Line: Pittsburgh Penguins +1.5 (-200), Toronto Maple Leafs -1.5 (+165)
Odds are via BetMGM.
Penguins’ Offense, Goaltending Leading to Road Success
Sometimes when a team goes on a hot streak, it can be thanks to their offense or goaltending stepping up. Fortunately for the Penguins, they’re getting tremendous play on both sides of the puck.
Pittsburgh has outscored its opponents 22-10 over its six-game winning streak. Simply put, the team is outscoring their opponents by nearly two goals per game over that stretch.
Captain Sidney Crosby has been the Penguins’ best player during their successful road run. The veteran has amassed five goals and five assists over that span while leading the team with 28 shots. Meanwhile, Jake Guentzel isn’t too far behind him in terms of production. He has eight points in his last six road games, including three goals — two of which are game-winners. That’s not to mention that Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Mike Matheson are all playing at a point-per-game pace during this win streak as well.
Starting goaltender Tristan Jarry has been an absolute brick wall during Pittsburgh’s recent road success. He’s played four games (three starts) in that time, racking up a 1.91 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.
When it comes to the larger picture, Pittsburgh only has one regulation loss in its last 14 games, going 10-1-3. That recent success has landed the Penguins in first place in the Metropolitan Division and they’ll be looking to beat the Maple Leafs to extend that lead.
Maple Leafs Top Stars, Special Teams Must Continue Showing Up
With Crosby and company ready to create some havoc at the Scotiabank Arena, the Maple Leafs will need their top stars to continue showing up as they have lately.
With the way Crosby is playing, Toronto needs Auston Matthews to continue his dominant play. The 24-year-old has six goals and 11 points in his last six home games, with six of those points coming on the power play. William Nylander has also been effective over that stretch, racking up 10 of his own points in as many games. Other point-per-game players include John Tavares (8), Mitch Marner (8), Morgan Rielly (7) and Alexander Kerfoot (7).
One aspect that has led to Toronto’s recent home success is its special teams units. For starters, the Maple Leafs’ penalty kill is operating at a 100% success rate over that span. In addition to that, the power-play unit has scored on 40.9% of their opportunities. Any time the special teams are working that effectively, the opposition is in for a long night.
Overall, the Maple Leafs have been proving to be one of the NHL’s best teams lately — regardless of where they’re playing. They’ve won seven of their last games over and have scored at least six goals in four of those outings.
Maple Leafs to Continue Winning Ways
At the end of the day, it’s looking like an “irresistible force meets the immovable object” situation. The Penguins have been great on the road while the Maple Leafs have been unstoppable at home. Having said that, leaning towards a straight-up Toronto victory seems like the right call.
While both teams have had recent success, the Maple Leafs have been manhandling their opponents at the Scotiabank Arena. Their special teams are among the best in the league. The star players are showing up every night. Plus, Toronto has more depth than Pittsburgh.
Taking all that into account, go with the Maple Leafs at home on this one.