New York Rangers vs. Toronto Maple Leafs odds picks and predictions
The Rangers (40-17-3, first in Metropolitan) are back in action north of the border when they face off against the Maple Leafs (34-17-8, third in Atlantic) on Saturday night.
New York got back in the win column after its 10-game winning streak was snapped with a 4-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
Just like the Rangers, the Maple Leafs earned a win after they had their winning streak of seven games snapped on Tuesday night against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Las Vegas Golden Knights.
This is the third and final meeting between these two teams destined to reach the postseason. Toronto dominated the Rangers 7-3 at MSG on Dec. 12. A week later, New York returned the favor, beating the Maple Leafs 5-2 at Scotiabank Arena.
Can the Rangers extend their division lead or will Toronto come away victorious on home ice? Here's my betting preview and prediction for this matchup.
NY Rangers vs. Maple Leafs puck line: Rangers +1.5 (-210), Leafs -1.5 (+210)
With New York coming into this one as a small road underdog, they're a massive favorite to cover the +1.5 puck line as you'd have to pay $210 to make $100 off of this bet.
Over their last 25 games, the Rangers have covered this puck line number in 19 of those contests.
The Blueshirts are .500 on the puck line this season, going an even 16-16 against the spread (ATS) on the road and a record of 14-14 ATS at home.
Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs are only 22-37 ATS this season, currently the third worst mark in the NHL.
Both the previous head-to-head meetings have produced blowouts on each side and I don't see that in the cards for this one.
It's a hefty price, but the must-bet side for me is for the Rangers to cover this one.
PointsBet has the best available number at -210 (Bet $210 to win $100) for New York at +1.5 on the puck line.
Prediction: Rangers +1.5 (-210)
NY Rangers vs. Maple Leafs total: Over 6.5 goals (+100), Under 6.5 goals (-105)
While each organization has had long winning streaks recently, they've each done it in different ways.
New York's been mostly involved in low-scoring games, with each of its last five matchups featuring six or fewer goals.
The last time they went over this number was when the Blueshirts had a miraculous, 6-5 come-from-behind victory over the Islanders at MetLife Stadium in the 2024 Stadium Series on Feb. 18.
On the other side, Toronto's been the complete opposite.
The Maple Leafs have had outcomes with six or more goals in eight straight contests and in 11 of their last 15 games.
With both these teams ranking in top-10 in goals per game this season, wager on the over in this one.
Neither organization scored less than two goals last month and I expect that trend to continue in a matchup that should feature a ton of offense with some of the league's best goal scorers sharing the ice.
BetMGM is currently the only betting site in New Jersey that's offering the over 6.5 goals at even money (Bet $100 to win $100).
Prediction: Over 6.5 goals (+100)
NY Rangers vs. Maple Leafs moneyline: Rangers (+100), Leafs (-117)
Even with a 13-game slate on the board, there's an argument that the Rangers vs. Leafs will be the must-watch game on Saturday night.
These have been two of the best teams since All-Star weekend took place a month ago in Toronto.
The focal point of this matchup I believe comes down to the third period.
The Rangers average 1.15 goals over the final 20 minutes of play this season while the Maple Leafs only give up 1.03 goals during that stretch.
On the flip side, the Blueshirts give up only 0.93 goals in the third period and Toronto scores an average of 1.17 goals per period.
I see this one being a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair that features overtime with the Leafs coming out on top and the Rangers still earning a point in the loss.
The go-to sportsbook to bet on the Maple Leafs moneyline is at BetRivers with a price of -117 (Bet $117 to win $100).
