Flames vs Maple Leafs 03/20/21 – Odds and NHL Betting Trends
3 years ago
by OddsShark (@OddsShark) – Sponsored Post
The Calgary Flames will be trying to complete their first series sweep on the road this season when they close out a two-game set with the struggling Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday as +135 underdogs on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Calgary took advantage of shaky Toronto goaltending on its way to a 4-3 win in Friday’s series opener, and will be aiming to tally consecutive wins on the road for the first time since the beginning of February when the team hits the ice for Saturday’s game at Scotiabank Arena.
Flames vs Maple Leafs | OddsShark Matchup Report
While the Flames have struggled all season to find consistency in games played away from Scotiabank Saddledome, they have managed to gain the upper hand when visiting Toronto. With Friday’s victory, Calgary has won in four of its past five road dates with Toronto, limiting the high-powered Maple Leafs to just six total goals over that stretch.
Calgary managed to come away with the win on Friday night despite mustering a season-low 18 shots on goal, including just two shots in the final period. The Flames also benefited from another steady performance from netminder Jacob Markstrom, who turned aside 24 of the 27 shots he faced.
Friday also marked Markstrom’s third start in five days, setting the stage for David Rittich to possibly see action on Saturday night. Idle since backstopping the club to a 7-3 win in Geoff Ward’s final game as head coach on March 3, Rittich has been solid in two dates with Toronto this season, stopping 71 of 73 total shots while leading Calgary to a win and an overtime loss at Scotiabank Arena last month.
And if the Flames need any more motivation, all they have to do is look at the North Division standings. The club’s series-opening victory keeps them in a tight three-way race for fourth place in the standings, just two points back of the fourth-place Montreal Canadiens.
The Maple Leafs will also be watching the standings on Saturday as they hit the ice as -155 home favourites at online betting sites. With the team hampered by both injuries and subpar play between the pipes, Toronto has posted just one win in its last seven outings, and now shares the lead atop the division with the Edmonton Oilers.
In addition to their struggles in net, the Maple Leafs have also been snakebitten offensively during their current 1-6-0 slide, averaging just 2.57 goals per game during that stretch. However, the return of Jack Campbell from injury could give the team a lift. The Toronto goaltender has been limited by injury to just three appearances this season but turned in a steady 31-save performance in a 3-2 win in Calgary back on January 24.
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