What an incredible opening-round NHL Playoffs series fans are being treated to with Lightning vs Maple Leafs. These are two of the highest-scoring and most consistently exciting teams to watch, and the intensity is only going to pick up as the series moves on. Toronto has endured unrivaled struggles in the NHL Playoffs recently, failing to move past round one in five straight seasons.
After another very good regular season, hopes of a deep playoff run are high amongst the Maple Leafs faithful. Unfortunately for them, they must navigate a nightmare matchup against the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, who may just be the hottest team in the NHL entering the postseason.
Let’s take a look at the betting odds and season history for the series, and give our Lightning vs Maple Leafs NHL Playoffs prediction.
Lightning vs Maple Leafs NHL Playoff Series Preview and Stream
NHL Playoffs Round 1
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Date: May 2, 2022
Time: 7:30 PM EST
Venue: Amalie Arena – Tampa, FL / Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON, CAN
Coverage: ESPN+
Goaltending: TB: Andrei Vasilevskiy (39-18-5/2.49/.916) | TOR: Jack Campbell (31-9-6/2.64/.914)
Lightning vs Maple Leafs Record | Regular Season History
This Lightning vs Maple Leafs NHL Playoff series can best be described with the same word as most of their regular season games – unpredictable.
Outside of expecting a ton of goals to be scored, the regular season gives us little indication as to how this playoff series will end up. Across four contests came four very different results. The first Lighting vs Maple Leafs clash of the year resulted in overtime, while the next three were all high-scoring affairs, with two of them being very lopsided. In total, 28 goals were scored, and each team won twice.
Vasilevskiy started all four contests for the Lightning, saving well over 100 pucks off the sticks of Toronto players. Jack Campbell saw a majority of the work for the Maple Leafs.
Lightning vs Maple Leafs NHL Playoff Series Betting Odds
NHL Betting odds for Lightning vs Maple Leafs are taken from BetUS Sportsbook.
Moneyline: TB: (-110) | TOR: (-110)
Series Total Games: 5.5 — Over: (-200) | Under: (+150) / 6.5 — Over: (+170) | Under: (-250)
Series Spread: TB: +1.5 (-220) | TOR: -1.5 (+155) / TB: -1.5 (+170) | TOR: +1.5 (-250)
Public Betting via Action Network: TB: (50%) | TOR: (50%)
Odds to Win Stanley Cup: TB: (+1100) | TOR: (+1000)
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Lightning vs Maple Leafs NHL Playoff Series Keys to Victory
Tampa Bay Lightning: What more is there to say about keys to victory for a team looking to three-peat other than be yourself. The Lightning are one of the most experienced and talented teams the NHL has seen in a long time. They had an incredible final month of the regular season, and will just need to carry that momentum into the playoffs. Their biggest advantage is total goals allowed, where they rank 15 spots above the Maple Leafs. Staying out of the penalty box is of utmost importance when facing Toronto, as they convert on a league-high 27.3% of powerplay opportunities.
Toronto Maple Leafs: If the Maple Leafs are going to dethrone the Lightning, it has to start with Jack Campbell in the crease. Goaltending is by far the biggest discrepancy in this series, and it heavily favors the Lightning. Toronto has to limit the amount of time the puck is in their defensive zone, and must capitalize on every special teams opportunity. Offense will not be a concern, as they rank in the top five of almost every stat that matters. If the Maple Leafs want to win this series, it will have to be done via a suburb defensive effort.
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Lightning vs Maple Leafs NHL Playoff Series Prediction
This Lightning vs Maple Leafs NHL Playoff series features teams that are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to trusting them in the playoffs. Beyond another promising regular season, which has become routine in recent years, the Maple Leafs have done nothing to show that they can get it done when it matters most. The Lightning have only lost in the first round twice in the last 10 years. We don’t see this season becoming the third.
Our NHL betting Lightning vs Maple Leafs playoff prediction will be Tampa Bay Lightning Series Moneyline at BetUS.
Lightning vs Maple Leafs Prediction and NHL Playoffs Picks
Tampa Bay Lightning – Series ML (-110)
*continue to check back on FlurrySports.org as more picks and updated odds will be available upon release*
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