The Toronto Maple Leafs head to New Jersey to take on the Devils and their old coach, Sheldon Keefe.
The pregame narrative: Toronto and New Jersey both sit second in their respective divisions thanks to strong defence and elite goaltending. Take the under on Tuesday and bet on John Tavares to notch a point.
Check out my Maple Leafs picks vs. Devils for Dec. 10.
Maple Leafs picks vs. Devils
Go to full NHL betting markets.
Best Bet: Under 6.5 goals (-124)
Toronto lost 5-2 on Saturday to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but I’ll view that as a blip on that radar.
Two of those goals came with an empty net, and another two were on the power play. The Maple Leafs have only given up 20 goals at even strength since Nov. 1, which is the fewest in the NHL.
It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that Toronto is going under this number often:
- Under 6.5 goals is 12-4 in Maple Leafs games since Nov. 1.
- Only two of those games had 7+ goals in regulation (both on the road).
The Maple Leafs are on the road again tonight but I still trust them to keep things tidy against a surging Devils squad. Joseph Woll started on Saturday, meaning Anthony Stolarz will likely get the nod tonight.
The first-year Leaf has exceeded all expectations so far. He ranks fourth in save percentage (.924) and third in goals-against average (2.22) in the NHL.
On the other end is Jakob Markstrom, who has immediately turned New Jersey into a Stanley Cup contender.
The Swede has a 2.51 GAA and has turned away 55 of the 58 shots faced this month (.948 SV%).
Key stat: The under on this total is 6-1 in Stolarz’s last seven starts.
Quick pick
Tavares to record a point (-143): This is a steep price to pay but Tavares has been rolling and I want in.
The veteran centre has nine points in his last 10 games, cashing this bet seven times.
He’s been aggressive with the puck, logging 28 shots in that span, and still gets prime opportunities alongside William Nylander on the second line — while skating with the top power-play unit.
This isn’t a great matchup for Tavares but he’s been remarkably consistent this year and has found ways to get involved against other strong defensive teams.
Tavares has a point in 17 of 26 games (65.3%).
NHL picks made at 10:53 a.m. ET on 12/10/24.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.