Panthers vs. Maple Leafs Game 2 pick: NHL odds, prediction

The way in which Game 1 between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs played out wasn’t really that surprising.

Sure, the Panthers upset the odds with their 4-2 victory, but the way the contest played out felt like what we all expected.

Both teams created scoring chances; both defenses had significant breakdowns, and, in the end, the goalie that excelled in the big moments was the difference. 

The focus now shifts to Game 2 on Thursday night.

Toronto is a -190 favorite to even up the series at the time of writing. 

Panthers vs. Maple Leafs pick

(7 p.m. ET. TNT)

It seems pretty clear that the betting market is not worried about Toronto’s performance in Game 1, despite the loss.

The Leafs closed around -190 on Tuesday night, are hanging in that same range for Game 2, and could take more money as we get closer to puck drop.

While not an actual “must-win” situation, Toronto going down 0-2 would be quite the story, and in these instances, bets usually flow in on the team (especially if it’s the favorite) with its back closest to the wall.

That could end up providing some value on the Panthers, who looked dangerous at 5-on-5 and had the best line in the game with Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, and Nick Cousins.

Tkachuk, who will likely be named as a Hart Trophy nominee in the coming days, put together a monster night with three assists, four shots on goal and nine hits.

He is a game-breaker and is playing at a level that the Maple Leafs did not have to deal with in their Round 1 series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

While Florida played Toronto pretty evenly at 5-on-5, the Leafs generated plenty of good looks throughout the game, especially on the power play and with their goalie pulled.

Betting on the NHL?

Fortunately for the Cats, Sergei Bobrovsky was on his game and made a number of game-changing stops to keep the Panthers’ nose in front. 

Bobrovsky was the better of the two netminders in the contest, but Ilya Samsonov also came up big in a couple of key moments to keep things tight while the Leafs tried to find their stride.

If either goalie was a little off the mark, this game would have flown over the total.

That pattern — both teams creating quality scoring chances and needing solid goaltending to bail out some defensive mishaps — feels likely to continue throughout the series and puts some value on the Over 7.