Toronto Maple Leafs vs New Jersey Devils: Maple Leafs will win

Prediction for the NHL Toronto Maple Leafs vs New Jersey Devils match, which will take place on February 1. Check the team conditions and choose several betting options.

Toronto has had another solid regular season, claiming the highest places, but the Maple Leafs are used to a quick exit in the playoffs anyway. They haven't had a significant setback in a long time, and in their last 12 meetings, they've had nine wins and three losses, with success coming right after a collapse. All of that tells us that Sheldon Keefe's men can work on their mistakes, and they've been doing consistently well overall, which puts them in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings with a few spare games.

New Jersey is once again eliminated from the cup battle. This regular season seemed to be a breakthrough for the Devils, as, after several weak seasons, they began to show a very decent game again. The Red and Black's troubles began in mid-January when they started to suffer one defeat after another, and in all the last eight meetings, they scored only two points, beating Carolina with a score of 7:4. Also, they lost in the remaining six meetings in regulation time. Their poor start has already dropped them to 13th place in the Eastern Conference standings, and their playoff chances are fast approaching nil.

Toronto and New Jersey approach the first head-to-head encounter of the current regular season in different forms. While the Maple Leafs have won nine of their last 12 games, indicating their good shape, the Devils have won just once in their previous eight games. Of course, that fact alone should be seen as bullish for the Blues and Whites, but we can also add statistics showing that Sheldon Keough's men have beaten the Red and Blacks in their last five meetings in a row. As a result, we suggest betting on Toronto to win with a handicap (-1.5) for 1.76.

Toronto and New Jersey have been producing spectacular, goal-rich encounters. In their previous five head-to-head meetings, the opponents combined to score 42 goals (8.40 on average per game), which is a solid showing. And now we may expect a goal feast, as the Maple Leafs have scored 247 goals (6.18 average per game) in 49 games, while the Devils have produced 272 goals (6.33 average per game) in 43 meetings. So, we suggest betting on a total over 6 for 1.80.

Morgan Reilly is a vital defenceman for Toronto. Not only is he a quality defenseman, but he's also a great offensive contributor. In 40 games played, the Canadian has already scored 36 points (5 goals + 31 assists). Of course, his performance record is still a long way off, as in the 2018/19 season, he managed to get 72 points (21 pucks + 56 assists), but now he is in great shape, so anything is possible. We suggest betting on Morgan Reilly total over 0.5 for 5.