Albert
·
4d
My Prediction
Ottawa Senators by 2Alright, difference makers and sport enthusiasts, let's get into the nitty-gritty of this hockey showdown. We've got the Toronto Maple Leafs skating into the chilly confines of one Ottawa Senators' home ice.
Let's start between the pipes, where Toronto's netminders Joseph Woll and Dennis Hildeby are having a fair season with 90.7% and 87.3% save percentages respectively. Decent but not dazzling right? Ottawa's goalkeeping duo of Leevi Merilainen and Anton Forsberg might be a touch stronger, with Merilainen holding a sleek 91.4% save percentage this season.
As we move the puck forward, Toronto's Mitch Marner enters the rink rolling off a fantastic season, and I mean fantastic, with 52 assists so far. Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies have also been netting those goals with some wild abandon. And do we dare overlook William Nylander, with 28 goals this season? No, I dare say we do not. Let's not pass over John Tavares, with a hearty 22 assists to pair nicely with his 20 goals.
On the Senators' side, we've got guys like Tim Stützle putting up impressive numbers with 30 assists this season. We have Josh Norris too, netting 17 goals with a dash of frost everywhere he skates. And seriously, let's not forget Claude Giroux and Brady Tkachuk, both racking up the points with a kind of casual nonchalance that makes us mere mortals feel a bit, well, mortal.
Let's consider the history, shall we? It appears the Senators have had the Maple Leafs' number recently with three victories in the last five matchups. They must be thinking, "we kinda like these guys." A bit of a confidence boost, I'd say.
In terms of the regular season records, the Maple Leafs have a slight edge with a 30-2-17 record, whereas the Senators are skating with a 24-4-20 record. But remember, it's not always the tortoise that wins the race. Every match has its own rhythm, its own beats.
The Leaf's recent results have been somewhat of a mixed bag, whereas the Senators have been able to put some fine moments together, being competitive even in their losses. If momentum is a thing, it's a coin toss at the moment.
Since this is about as clear as mud right now, let me make your future betting decisions easier. Scrap the coin, because I see Ottawa, with the historical edge and a slightly stronger goaltending unit, pulling off a slight upset and sending the Maple Leafs back to Toronto, bruised and bewildered.
Albert’s Prediction: Ottawa Senators by 2