Detroit at Toronto Pro Hockey Spread Preview

On Saturday night, the Detroit Red Wings visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in a matchup of Original Six teams — both of whom are playing a little below their storied heydays. The Red Wings (38-28-11, 87 points) are in fourth place in the Atlantic Division and are in danger of breaking a 24-season playoff streak and just lost in Montreal on Tuesday, 4-3. They host the Minnesota Wild on Friday night before heading over the border to Toronto for Saturday’s tilt. The Maple Leafs (28-38-11, 67 points) are in eighth place in the Atlantic Division. They lost in Buffalo on Thursday night, 4-1. Don’t forget to lookout for more betting lines for NHL by clicking here.

#DRWNotebook: #RedWings turn to Howard; focus on improving defense; Mantha reunited with AA: https://t.co/apN3qfk6oX pic.twitter.com/GQG0XUOuVt

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 1, 2016

Detroit at Toronto Pro Hockey Spread Preview and TV Info

When: Saturday, April 2, 2016, 7:00pm ET Where: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON TV: CBC, FSDT Radio: Detroit / Toronto Live Stream: NHL.tv NHL Odds: TBA

Why Should You Bet on the Maple Leafs?

Mike Babcock has this young Leafs team playing exciting hockey. He doesn’t have the roster to play competitive hockey right now, but his team is still surprising the opposition now and then. That happened most recently on Tuesday when the Maple Leafs went down to Miami and shocked the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers, thumping them 5-2. Then, of course, they came home and laid an egg against the lowly Sabres. They are in the bottom third of the league in offense, defense, power play percentage and the penalty kill, but they are capable of beating anyone who is not ready to take them seriously.

Why Should You Put Your Money on Detroit?

The Red Wings have the motivation of fighting to stay in the playoff race as a wild card and making it 25 straight seasons in the chase for the Stanley Cup. However, their likely opponent — the Washington Capitals, who will be the top seed in the East and are the favorite to win the whole thing — could make that playoff run very short indeed. The Red Wings need to find the motivation to take on a young, scrappy Leafs squad and come out of Toronto with two points.

Expert Betting Pick and Final Score Prediction

I like the young Maple Leafs to knock off a wobbly Detroit team at home on Saturday night. I’m predicting a 4-2 Toronto victory.