Maple Leafs vs Devils Prediction, Odds & Picks (March 7): Can New Jersey Take Advantage of Toronto’s Injuries?

Tuesday, March 7’s NHL schedule features some intriguing matchups, including a battle between the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils. Both Toronto and New Jersey are among the Eastern Conference’s top teams, meaning tonight’s Maple Leafs vs Devils showdown is one you won’t want to miss.

So we all remember what happened the last time the Leafs were in town. I have to tell you, the last few minutes, as the Devils tried to comeback is the most raucous sports environment I've ever been in. The ground was shaking below me. Let's make The Rock shake again tonight!

— Bill Spaulding (@BillSpaulding) March 7, 2023

Tonight marks the final game of the Maple Leafs’ five-game road trip. While they’re 2-2-0 on the trip thus far, they suffered a 4-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks in their latest outing. The Maple Leafs’ lineup is somewhat banged up at the moment, so it’ll be interesting to see who suits up.

Meanwhile, the Devils are on a five-game point streak, going 4-0-1 in their previous five outings. They faced the Arizona Coyotes on Sunday, leaving Mullett Arena with the 5-4 overtime victory. Jesper Boqvist found the back of the net twice while Nico Hischier scored the OT winner only 23 seconds into the extra frame.

Tonight’s Maple Leafs vs Devils showdown also brings some interesting betting options to the table. Here’s a look at BetOnline Sportsbook’s latest odds for the game, as well as a prediction and the best bet to make, courtesy of Betting News.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs New Jersey Devils Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Toronto Maple Leafs (38-17-8, 15-11-4 Away) vs. New Jersey Devils (41-15-6, 18-11-2 Home)
• Venue & Location: Prudential Center (East Rutherford, NJ)
• Date: Tuesday, March 7, 2023
• Game Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
• Maple Leafs vs Devils TV Info: ESPN+

Maple Leafs vs Devils Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Tuesday, March 7 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Toronto Maple Leafs +1.5 (-220)
• New Jersey Devils -1.5 (+176)

Over/Under

• Over 6.5 Goals (-108)
• Under 6.5 Goals (-112)

Moneyline

• Toronto Maple Leafs +114
• New Jersey Devils -137

Maple Leafs vs Devils Betting Trends

• Toronto is 5-0 straight up on its last five road games against New Jersey.
• New Jersey is 8-1 straight up in its last nine home games.
• The total has hit the under in four of Toronto’s last five games.
• The total has hit the over in each of New Jersey’s last six games.
• The total has hit the under in each of the last three Toronto-New Jersey matchups.

Maple Leafs Aims to Rebound From Saturday’s Loss

It goes without saying that the Maple Leafs wish they could forget about their loss to the Canucks. Unfortunately, that’s not how life works and, instead, they must take whatever lessons they can from that embarrassing defeat.

First of all, their goaltending must be better. Ilya Samsonov — tonight’s projected starter, per Daily Faceoff — has had issues finding his footing on the road. He’s gone 4-6-1 in his last 11 away games, backstopping his way to a 3.19 goals-against average, .892 save percentage and one shutout.

Samsonov also allowed five goals on 32 shots to the Edmonton Oilers in his last road outing, proving that he’s in need of a massive e bounce-back performance tonight.

The Maple Leafs could also use more consistent production from some of their forwards. Auston Matthews is snakebitten, recording just two goals in his last eight games. Mitchell Marner only has three goals in his last 11 outings.

Even the lower lines aren’t producing as much as expected. Calle Jarnkrok has found the back of the net just once in his last 11 outings while Alexander Kerfoot has gone 18 consecutive games without a single goal.

Offense is only going to be harder to come by now that Ryan O’Reilly was placed on the long-term injured reserve with a hand injury. He’s played well since Toronto acquired him in February, recording five points in eight games.

On top of that, John Tavares (illness) has been ruled out while Matthews (knee) is questionable.

If Toronto hopes to win, it desperately needs all hands on deck. The Devils are averaging 4.4 goals in their last five games, whereas the Maple Leafs have been held to two or fewer in four of their last five outings.

The Devils are getting offensive production from up and down their lineup. For example, defenseman Dougie Hamilton paces his teammates with 19 points over the last 15 games. Meanwhile, Dawson Mercer has tallied a team-high 11 goals over that span. That’s not even to mention that Jack Hughes has 16 points in his last 11 games or that Nico Hischier has six goals in his last eight appearances.

What’s also impressive is that the Devils have won eight of their last nine home games. Their special teams units have been great in that span, going 7-of-25 (28.0%) on the power play while killing off each of the 19 penalties they’ve faced.

Though Toronto has won the last five Maple Leafs vs Devils matchups at Prudential Center, it’s clear that the road team has an uphill battle tonight.

Maple Leafs vs Devils Prediction and Picks

Maple Leafs vs Devils Prediction: Devils 3, Maple Leafs 2

Maple Leafs vs Devils Picks: Devils ML (Best Value: -137 at BetOnline) & Under 6.5 Goals (Best Value: -112 at BetOnline)

Although both sides are capable of winning, I’m siding with the Devils. New Jersey has been the more complete team lately and has the wins to back it up. The Maple Leafs are too inconsistent at the moment and have lacked both reliable goaltending and scoring on the road. It’ll be another close game, but the hometown support gives the Devils the edge that they need.

I also project that this game sees fewer goals than expected. On top of Toronto not scoring much recently, two previous Maple Leafs vs Devils matchups this season saw an average of four goals scored. With the road team also missing several key offensive figures, there’s no reason to believe that a high-scoring affair is on the way.

Other Maple Leafs vs Devils Betting Resources

• Maple Leafs vs Devils Consensus Picks, Score Projections & Betting Stats

Other NHL Stories on Betting News (March 7)

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