There’s a massive clash in the NHL tonight when the Vegas Golden Knights host the Toronto Maple Leafs at the T-Mobile Arena.
The Golden Knights sit top of the Pacific Division, and they will be looking for another win when they face the Maple Leafs, who sit third in the Atlantic Division.
Both sides are amongst the betting favorites to win this year’s Stanley Cup.
The best NHL betting sites can’t separate them, with BetUS pricing them both up at +900 to finish the season as champions.
| Latest 2021/22 Stanley Cup Winner Betting Odds |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | +550 | +550 |
| Florida Panthers | +1000 | +900 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +900 | +900 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +650 | +750 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +900 | +900 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +1200 | +1075 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +1400 | +1800 |
| Boston Bruins | +2200 | +1800 |
The favorites to win the Stanley Cup is still the Colorado Avalanche. BetUS has Jared Bednar’s team at +550, just ahead of Tampa Bay Lightning, who is +750.
All four of the aforementioned teams are in action tonight, but we’re focusing on what I believe to be the match-up of the night in Nevada.
The Golden Knights may only have been around for a handful of years, but they are already having a huge impact in the NHL.
They have no Stanley Cups to their name yet, but it can surely only be a matter of time before they change that.
As for their opponent, the Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the most famous NHL names in the world.
The Maple Leafs have been around a lot longer than the Golden Knights, just the 100 years more, and in their illustrious history, they have won the Stanley Cup an impressive 13 times.
Although all of those wins came in their first 50 years of existence.
The Maple Leafs now haven’t lifted the Stanley Cup since 1967, and that’s a hell of a long time for a club of this standing!!
This might be the ideal time to be taking on the Vegas Golden Knights.
Despite being top of the Pacific Division, the Golden Knights are currently going through a sticky spell.
Their last 10 match record reads 6-3-1, but on closer inspection, you will see that they have lost four of their last seven (one in OT).
Included in that run of matches, is a 2-1 home defeat to Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday night.
To put that result into perspective, the Blackhawks are having a poor season and currently sit second bottom of the Central Division.
One result in isolation doesn’t give a true reflection. But when you add it to the recent setbacks, it points to a dip in performance levels.
On the night against Chicago, Vegas did create a lot of chances, and former Knights’ goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury made 28 consecutive stops when the score was 1-0, keeping the Blackhawks in the game.
In winning the match, Fleury also made history by becoming the first goaltender to beat all 32 teams in the NHL.
Any other night, one or two of those chances go in, and the Golden Knights win the match.
The fact that Vegas is still creating plenty of chances suggests it’s just a dip in form, and a win is probably just around the corner.
As for the Maple Leafs, they have a recent record of 6-2-2. They sit third in the Atlantic Division, and they have 47 points from 33 matches.
The Panthers and Lightning both have 51 points. But top of the table Panthers has played 35 matches, with second-placed Tampa Bay Lightning having played 37 fixtures.
Win the matches in hand, and the Maple Leafs go joint top of the division.
Sheldon Keefe’s team saw a four-match winning streak end on Saturday night when they went down 5-4 after OT to Colorado Avalanche.
The Maple Leafs had a commanding 4-2 lead going into the final period.
But they couldn’t hold off the fightback from the team who are favorites with the Stanley Cup Betting Sites to win the Holy Grail for the first time since 2001.
The Avalanche won the third period 2-0, and then in OT, Devon Toews fired in the winner to make it 5-4 to Colorado, and avenge the 8-3 loss they suffered in Toronto a month ago.
Despite not being able to hold on for the victory, the match shows that the Maple Leafs are in a decent place.
This all points to a cracker of a match tonight, and this is confirmed by the sportsbooks, who can’t separate the two sides in the betting.
On the Moneyline, MyBookie has both sides at -110 to win. While on the spread, the Maple Leafs are given a -1.5 handicap and are +240.
I don’t see value backing the Golden Knights on the handicap at -280, and can we be sure the Maple Leafs can win by 2 clear points? I certainly can’t be!
This looks set to be a close call, and I think both sides will be up for this and therefore I’m happy to take a punt on over 6 in the total goals market for my betting pick.
Please also check out our MyBookie Sportsbook Review. Here you will find more information about this popular bookmaker, along with the latest sports bonuses that can be used for betting on the NHL.
About the Author
Over the last 10 years, Dean has sharpened his expertise in crafting and revising content for his soccer and cricket betting platforms. Driven by his passion for sports betting and writing, he embarked on a journey of writing about sports wagering. Although Dean's preferred areas of focus are the English Premier League and cricket, his extensive sports knowledge enables him to tackle nearly any sport. Gone are the days of traveling the world to witness events like FIFA World Cups and Ashes cricket, as Dean now prefers the comfort of his own home while enjoying sports.
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