The first round playoff clash in the Stanley Cup between the Ottawa Senators and the Toronto Maple Leafs will take place on May 2 at the Canadian Tire Centre. The series score is 3-2 in favor of Toronto. Ottawa vs. Toronto: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Ottawa Senators
Travis Green's team won their second consecutive game in the series, reducing the deficit to a minimum. The last match ended with a "clean" victory for Ottawa, with a score of 4-0. Two players from the club, Tim Stützle (1+2) and Brady Tkachuk (1+2), each scored three points. It's worth noting that in the current playoffs, Ottawa has one of the lowest shooting activity rates, averaging no more than 24 shots on target per game.
- Ottawa has not scored more than three goals in regular time in 5 of their last 6 NHL meetings as the home team.
- The score was tied at the end of three periods in 4 of the team's last 5 home games in the league.
- No more than six goals were scored in regular time in 7 of the last 9 NHL games at Ottawa's venue.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Craig Berube's team suffered their second consecutive defeat in this playoff. The last time Toronto lost was back in mid-January. It's noteworthy that the club is among the teams with the best power-play conversion rate in the current Stanley Cup tournament (31.3%).
- The club has won 6 of their last 8 away games in the NHL (2 in OT).
- No more than five goals were scored in regular time in 6 of Toronto's last 8 away games in the league.
- The team has not conceded more than three goals in 60 minutes in their last eight NHL games as the visiting team.
Ottawa vs. Toronto: Match Prediction
Ottawa's motivation is clear now; they have had no margin for error for a while, and the team is fighting hard, playing tightly, which is why Toronto couldn't score in the last game. However, Ottawa's own scoring isn't high, as they have averaged less than three goals per game in the current series.
The objective for each team in the upcoming match is clear: Toronto needs to finish the series, while Ottawa needs to play carefully and try to level the score. Given the high stakes for both teams, a high-scoring game is unlikely. In the last four games of the current series, the teams did not score more than six times in regular time. Additionally, no more than this number of goals were scored in 4 of Ottawa's last 5 home NHL games and in Toronto's last eight away league games.
I don't expect high scoring from either side, so my prediction: Total under 6
