The Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to rediscover their offence as they travel to Pittsburgh on Saturday to take on the Penguins as +115 underdogs on the NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Toronto’s recent offensive slump continued Thursday with a 2-1 loss to the visiting Dallas Stars as -150 chalk, dumping the club to 2-4-0 in its past six games while scoring just 10 total goals during that stretch ahead of Saturday’s matchup at PPG Paints Arena.
While the Maple Leafs have stumbled to four straight losses on home ice, they have been dominant on the road this season, going unbeaten in five outings while scoring an average of 5.4 goals per game.
However, Toronto has struggled in recent meetings with the Penguins, losing two of three overall including a 3-0 loss at Scotiabank Arena on October 18. The Maple Leafs have also fallen to defeat in six of eight visits to Pittsburgh, according to the OddsShark NHL Database.
Elsewhere, the Ottawa Senators kick off the Saturday schedule with a visit to Buffalo as +170 underdogs, and the Edmonton Oilers open a four-game eastern swing with a Saturday night date with the Detroit Red Wings as -140 betting favourites.
As well, the Montreal Canadiens aim for consecutive wins for the first time since Oct. 17 as they host the Tampa Bay Lightning as +110 underdogs on the odds, while the Calgary Flames vie for a fourth straight win as they host the Chicago Blackhawks as -150 favourites.
The Senators opened a home-and-home against Buffalo with a 4-2 victory on Thursday as a +110 home wager, ending a four-game slide. Ottawa is winless in its past four road dates, and has scored just nine total goals during a 2-3 run in its past five trips to Buffalo, but faces a Sabres squad currently riding a three-game losing streak.
The Canadiens are riding high following a 6-4 character win over Washington as +105 underdogs on Thursday. Montreal has alternated between wins and losses over its past six games, but owns a solid 5-2-0 record at the Bell Centre this season.
The Lightning travel to Montreal sitting atop the Atlantic Division standings with an 8-3-1 record and as solid -130 favourites on the Saturday NHL odds, but have surrendered 14 total goals during a 1-2-0 run and have posted just two wins in their past seven trips to Montreal.
The Flames return to action looking to build on an impressive third-period comeback in Thursday’s 6-5 home victory over Colorado as a -120 bet. Calgary has now won three straight while Chicago trails as a +130 underdog following four straight losses.
