Trent Reinsmith
- What: Game 2 NHL Eastern Conference Round 1 Playoffs
- Who: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
- Date: Thursday, April 20, 2023
- Location: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ESPN, CBC, SN, TVAS, BSSUN
The 2023 NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs began on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Things did not go well for the home team. By the end of the first period, the Leafs were down 3-0. The next 40 minutes did not go any better for Toronto as they finished the game on the wrong side of a 7-3 defeat, giving up four power play goals on eight opportunities.
Toronto’s starting goaltender Ilya Samsonov was pulled from Game 1 after giving up six goals on 29 shots. His replacement for the third stanza, Joseph Woll, surrendered one goal on the five shots he faced. Tampa Bay’s goalie, Andrei Vasilevskiy, faced 31 shots and made 28 saves.
Game 2 of the NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Series between the Lightning and Leafs goes down tonight in Toronto.
Before we look at the betting breakdown for tonight’s NHL playoff matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 Stanley Cup and our tips for betting on the NHL.
Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs betting picks for Game 2
| To Win Game 2 NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Series |  |  |  |  |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +140 | +110 | +135 | +140 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | -155 | -130 | -155 | -160 |
Tampa Bay Lightning betting breakdown
Tampa Bay ran roughshod over the Maple Leafs in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Playoff Series. Nikita Kucherov and Corey Perry each had a goal and two assists for the Lightning, while Brayden Point had two goals for the team. Tampa Bay silenced a lot of doubters with their play in Game 1. Heading into the matchup, there was talk that the team’s three consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Finals had left them tired and that their finish to the 2023 season was proof they were not going to fare well in 2023. The Lightning’s performance on Tuesday showed that the veteran squad can take advantage of the opportunities they are given, and the Maple Leafs, by giving Tampa Bay eight power play chances provided those opportunities.
The question facing the Lightning is if they can put up the same offense in Game 2 against what needs to be a Toronto team that will do everything it can to stay out of the penalty box.
Tampa Bay could be without Victor Hedman in Game 2. The defenseman logged just 6:35 of ice time in Game 1.
Toronto Maple Leafs betting breakdown
The Toronto Maple Leafs and the team’s fans did not expect the Leafs to play one of its worst playoff games in recent memory, but that’s what the team did on Tuesday night. The thing that cost the Leafs was the team’s inability to stay out of the penalty box. Toronto gave the Lightning 10:17 of power play time during Game 1, and they scored four times. On a positive, when the teams played five-on-five, the Leafs had more high-danger scoring chances than the Lightning. In short, the Leafs need to play better on the penalty kill, or more ideally, stay out of the penalty box.
Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews led the Maple Leafs in scoring, with Marner getting three assists and Matthews picking up two helpers. Calle Jarnkrok, William Nylander, and Ryan O’Reilly scored the Leafs’ goals.
Ilya Samsonov is likely to get the start in goal, but he needs to be much better in Game 2 to keep the Leafs in the game. With Matt Murray on the sidelines because of a concussion, Samsonov is one of the key components to the Leafs’ success in the 2023 playoffs.
Best bet for Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Expect a more defensively sound Toronto Maple Leafs team in Game 2 of their playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning. With less time in the penalty box, the Maple Leafs will produce more offensive chances in Game 2. With that, the best bet is to pick the Toronto Maple Leafs to bounce back and defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning and tie the series before it heads to Tampa for Game 3.
Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning
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