Auston Matthews 51 Goals Leads NHL And Maple Leafs Five Game Winning Streak Into Vegas

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) ratings while being protected by Philadelphia Flyers … [+] defenseman Travis Sanheim (6) throughout the 2nd duration of an NHL hockey video game Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, in Toronto. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press by means of AP)

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NHL Stanley Cup Contenders Maple Leafs And Golden Knights Face Off In Vegas

2 leading Stanley Cup competitors take on Thursday night in Las Vegas when the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights satisfy for the very first time this season. It’s Canada’s hockey hotbed and current NHL All-Star Game host vs. the Stanley Cup champs in the Entertainment Capital of the World. The groups will play once again in Toronto on Feb. 27.

Toronto (31-16-8) has 70 points for 5th finest in the Eastern Conference. The Maple Leafs lead the East in scoring with 203 objectives led by the NHL’s leading objective scorer, Auston Matthews. The American super star out of Scottsdale got his league-high 50th and 51st objectives Wednesday night at Arizona in the Maple Leafs 6-3 win over the Coyotes.

Vegas (32-18-6) has actually lost 3-straight home video games with their leading goaltender in internet. The Golden Knights 70 points are 5th finest in the Western Conference. Goalie Adin Hill was having an All-Star season before going down with a lower body injury in late November. He returned Jan. 23 and won his very first 4 starts before losing the last 3 in your home.

Feb. 22 NHL chances: Toronto (+102) at Vegas (-122 ). Overall objectives: 6.5.

Chances from FanDuel and leading online sportsbooks undergo alter, consisting of on props and live wagering.

Auston Matthews Is Authoring One Of The Greatest Seasons Ever

Matthews is playing his 8th season after being chosen No. 1 total by the Maple Leafs in 2016. He has 9 objectives in his last 4 video games consisting of a set of hat techniques (6 this season). Together with being a leading Hart Trophy (MVPprospect, the 26-year-old is likewise a genuine Selke Trophy competitor (leading protective forward). Matthews MVP chances on FanDuel Sportsbook dipped from +410 to +330 following 2 more objectives Wed. night at Arizona

His objective scoring this season, changed for the context of the age in which he plays – goes beyond, amongst others, Wayne Gretzky (EDM), Mario Lemieux (PIT) and Mike Bossy (NYI). 7 gamers in NHL history have actually scored a minimum of 50 objectives in their groups initially 50 video games consisting of Maurice Richard (MON,1944-45), Bossy (1980-81), Lemieux (1988-89), Brett Hull (STL) two times 1990-92 and Gretzky 3 times 1981-85 striking 61 objectives in 50 video games two times consisting of 50 in 39 video games in 1981-82.

4 other gamers scored 50 objectives in their very first 50 video games, however beyond their group’s very first 50 video games. That consisted of Cam Neely (BOS, 1993-94), Alexander Mogilny (BUF, 1992-93) and Jari Kurri (1984-85) the exact same season his colleague Gretzky did it a 3rd time. Mario Lemieux likewise did it two times while balancing an exceptional.754 objectives per video game. The Great One, Wayne Gretzky scored a NHL record 92 objectives in 1981-82 and scored at a. 601 clip over his whole profession, a half-goal per video game average less than Matthews is at in 2024.

What to learn about Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews

Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore returned last video game vs. Nashville after missing out on 35 video games because suffering a lower-body injury Nov. 22. His management and 19 points in 21 video games supplies more offending advantage for a group that has actually cooled off substantially given that a record start of 11-1-1 this season after winning the Stanley Cup

Vegas captain Mark Stone left the Nashville video game ahead of the 3rd duration with an upper body injury. He’ll miss out on the video game versus the Maple Leafs in addition to All-Star Jack Eichel, who has actually been out because Jan. 11 and is week-to-week following a lower body surgical treatment. Golden Knights basic supervisor Kelly McCrimmon stated Stone is “going to run out our lineup for a while,” on a Wednesday podcast, and Eichel is “not far off” from rejoining the lineup.

How Las Vegas Became Sports TownUSA

When the 2023-24 season began, the Golden Knights (+1000) and Maple Leafs (+1100) were 2 of the top-5 groups to win the Stanley Cup. Now Vegas and Toronto are both +1400 at FanDuel Sportsbook with 9 groups sporting lower chances to win the Cup with Florida (+800 ), Colorado (+850) and Edmonton (+850) the existing favorites followed by Dallas, Boston and Carolina at +1000. The New York Rangers (+1100 ), Winnipeg (+1300) and Western Conference leader Vancouver (+1300) are likewise leading competitors.

The Maple Leafs secured the previous Stanley Cup champ Tampa Bay Lightning in 2015’s opening round playoffs. Toronto was then stunned by the Florida Panthers, losing in 5-games consisting of 4 as a considerable favorite. The Golden Knights went on to beat the Panthers in 5-games to win the Stanley Cup.

Toronto Maple Leafs Playoff Push

It’s been 57 years because the Maple Leafs last went to the Stanley Cup Finals. They won it that year in 1967. While parts of their lineup is aging, they seem aggressive purchasers ahead of the March 8 trade due date with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Morgan Rielly and William Nylander in their primes. Rielly is the Leafs leading defenseman and his 43 points is top-1o in the NHL. Matthews leads the NHL with 51 objectives and might shatter his finest 60 objective season. Rielly goes back to the lineup in Vegas after serving a 5 video game suspension for cross monitoring. The lineup is top-heavy, and the Maple Leafs might utilize some depth and defense at the trade due date.

Not just are the Toronto Maple Leafs the most important group in the National Hockey League ($2.8 billion), however Toronto’s roadway video games are frequently filled with checking out Maple Leafs fans, to a level unlike any other group produces. You saw it in the highlights of the Arizona video game, and it must be an unique night Feb. 22 when Maple Leafs fans rally (and wager) at ParkMGM and Toshiba Plaza before getting in T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip to support their group and watch another scoring efficiency from Auston Matthews.

Vegas Golden Knights Playoff Push

The Stanley Cup champs have actually lacked All-Star center Jack Eichel considering that Jan. 11. His 19 objectives and 25 helps in 44 video games was leading the group in points before injury and effective lower body surgical treatment. He’s week to week while group captain and leading points scorer Mark Stone (16 objectives, 37 helps) is out versus Toronto and now a prolonged time.

Golden Knights personnel author (The Athletic) Jesse Granger keeps in mind Vegas lacks a glaring weak point, and deep at center, defense and strong in web. A middle-six winger addition with offending advantage at the trade due date would be perfect to sign up with top-scoring winger Jonathan Marchessault (28 objectives) and veteran William Karlsson (18 objectives).

NHL Trade Deadline Tracker

After hosting the Maple Leafs, Vegas strikes the roadway for 5 video games at Ottawa, Toronto, Boston, Buffalo and Columbus before returning home to play Western Conference-leading Vancouver on March 7.

Leading competitors chances to win each conference and reach the Stanley Cup

Eastern Conference Odds

+430: Florida
+460: Carolina
+480: Boson
+500: NY Rangers
+700: Toronto
+1200: Tampa Bay, New Jersey
+1600: Pittsburgh
+2800: Philadelphia
+3000: NY Islanders
+3200: Detroit

Western Conference Odds

+360: Edmonton
+460: Dallas, Colorado
+650: Winnipeg
+700: Vegas, Vancouver
+800: LA Kings
+3700: Nashville
+5000: Seattle, Calgary
+8500: St. Louis
+9500: Minnesota

The Maple Leafs 5-game winning streak consists of scoring a minimum of 4 objectives in each contest. Toronto goes from wagering preferred to an underdog for simply the 2nd time in their last 11 video games. Vegas is shorthanded without Stone and Eichel, which might affect their power play even more striking at simply a 19.5% scoring rate. The Maple Leafs light the light at a 28.7% rate on the power play – 2nd finest in the NHL with Matthews scoring 15 power play objectives.

The Maple Leafs play their 8th video game this season with no days rest when they check out Vegas. The over/under overall objectives is 2-5 (2 overs) in those 7 contests. 6 times they have actually altered goalies to prevent back-to-back nights for the exact same goaltender. Martin Jones might be in web for the Maple Leafs in Vegas, and I expect more scoring in between the Maple Leafs and Golden Knights in an appealing, amusing and electrical environment in Vegas.

You can wager on it.

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