The Colorado Avalanche (11-6-1) will travel to Toronto to battle the Maple Leafs (16-6-1) on Wednesday night at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 P.M. EST.
The Maple Leafs are fresh from an impressive 5-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, while the Avalanche defeated the Nashville Predators 6-2 during their last ice break.
Toronto enters Wednesday in second place in the Atlantic Division. Meanwhile, Colorado ranks sixth in the Central.
This matchup figures to be an exciting affair in Toronto.
Avalanche at Maple Leafs Betting Preview
Toronto Maple Leafs Preview: Good Luck Getting Past the Goalie!
The Toronto Maple Leafs have enjoyed a successful 2021 campaign through the end of November. They enter December on a four-game win streak and classify as one of the better teams in the NHL.
So how have they gotten it done on the ice this season?
The Maple Leafs’ secret to success begins on the defensive end. They rank third in the league in goals-against with just 49 total goals allowed. Goalie Jack Campbell has led the charge in that department.
He has posted a 12-4 record with a league-leading .946 save percentage. Campbell’s 12 wins are tied for the league lead with Cameron Talbot. He is also the NHL leader in goals-against average with a mark of 1.64.
The 29-year-old has unquestionably been one of the best goalkeepers in the sport this year.
The team ranks seventh in goals with 72. John Tavares leads Toronto with ten individual goals. Toronto’s .121 shooting percentage also leads the NHL.
The Maple Leafs have won their games via a combination of good offense and excellent defense.
Colorado Avalanche Preview: Balance Bodes Well
Colorado has attacked in a very balanced manner.
They rank seventh in goals, eighth in goals against, and sixth in assists. They are not a flashy team, and they are not typically not going to produce jaw-dropping numbers. However, the Avalanche will refuse to quit and always hang around late in games regardless of the circumstances.
Mikko Rantanen leads Colorado with ten goals, while Nazem Kadri is the Avalanche top assist man with 20. Kadri’s 20 assists is tied for second overall in the entire league.
Goalie Darcy Kuemper is 9-5 with a .903 save percentage.
The Avalanche knows how to share the puck. They work well as a team and do not focus on individual play. Kadri does a tremendous job of leading by example by displaying his unselfishness daily.
Colorado’s overall balance could help them sneak into the postseason.
Who to Bet on
Top sportsbooks have Toronto listed as 1.5-point favorites. That is to be expected, given that they are on a hot streak and playing at home.
The only way Colorado steals a victory on Wednesday is if their defense steps up and keeps Toronto off the scoreboard since scoring is going to prove to be incredibly difficult for the Avalanche in this affair. They would be fortunate to get anything over two scores.
The Maple Leafs should do enough on offense to earn the win while the defense takes care of the rest.
Take the Maple Leafs -1.
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