The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens play Game 6 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at Bell Centre. Below, we analyze the Maple Leafs-Canadiens odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.
The Maple Leafs squandered a chance to put away the Canadiens in Game 5 of their division semifinals series, and now have to hit the road for Game 6. Toronto still has two more chances for its first postseason series win since 2004.
The Canadiens will be the first Canadian team to open the turnstiles to fans allowing a maximum of 2,500 rabid, and high-paying, fans to Bell Centre as the province of Quebec eases COVID restrictions for indoor gatherings.
Maple Leafs at Canadiens: Odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:10 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Maple Leafs -200 (bet $200 to win $100) | Canadiens +165 (bet $100 to win $165)
- Against the spread/ATS: Maple Leafs -1.5 (+135) | Canadiens +1.5 (-165)
- Over/Under: 5.5 (O: +100 | U: -120)
Maple Leafs at Canadiens: Projected starting goalies
Jack Campbell (17-3-2, 2.15 GAA, .921 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Carey Price (12-7-5, 2.64 GAA, .901 SV%, 1 SO)
Campbell finally showed some cracks in the dike in Game 5 allowing four goals on 30 shots as the Canadiens won it early in overtime in an elimination game. His last start at Bell Centre, however, was a shutout in Game 4.
Price turned aside 32 of 35 shots in Game 5 extending the season for the Habs at least one more game. Now he and his team will get a chance to play in front of a smattering of hometown fans for the first time this season.
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Maple Leafs at Canadiens: Odds, lines, predictions and picks
Prediction
Maple Leafs 4, Canadiens 3
Money line (ML)
The Maple Leafs (-200) are a little on the steep side, and I am not 100 percent confident they’ll be able to turn the tables and win on Montreal’s home ice. Add in the fact that there will be fans now, albeit a small amount, and things are trending a little in the favor of Les Habitants.
AVOID.
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Against the spread (ATS)
The CANADIENS +1.5 (-165) roll into their home barn with the confidence of an overtime road win in Game 5, and they will welcome some of their rabid fans through the gates. After getting blanked on home ice, their response Thursday night was outstanding. If they can get that early first goal to really put the Maple Leafs -1.5 (+135) on edge, the Habs will stay in this one, too.
Over/Under (O/U)
OVER 5.5 (+100) is the lean in Game 6 despite the fact the tension has been ratcheted up in this series. Normally as a series goes deeper, we see fewer scoring opportunities. Of course, in the two playoff game battles we had on Thursday the Over connected. I don’t think we get fire-wagon hockey here, but at least six goals seems like the best bet on the board.
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