Count On Matthews, Nylander Scoring Big Goals as Leafs Blow Past Bruins

Saturday is the best night of the week for NHL action with many marquee matchups that fans wait all week to watch. The biggest game for fans north of the border will likely be the next chapter in the fierce rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins, who will meet up for their 691st all-time meeting.

It should make for an exciting matchup with both teams looking to notch a much needed win. We look to improve on some of our impressive records like 31-27 record on unders and our 7-3 record in our last ten player prop picks.

All betting lines are from Bet365 and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.

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Bet: Leafs ML (-160), Auston Matthews anytime goal (+145), William Nylander anytime goal (+145)

The Leafs hit a rough patch recently where they allowed 31 goals over an eight-game period, which was the most in the league during that span. Up until that point, Toronto was a newfound defensive powerhouse that has smother opposing offences. They refound their game when facing off against the Islanders in a home-and-home spot, where they allowed just one goal in each game. Boston is desperately looking for a win as they've dropped two straight and have 5-5-1 record in their last 11 games, including bad losses like to the Rangers or their pair of blowouts to the Kraken and Jets.

The once formidable Bruins have since turned into a shell of what they once were with almost no offensive edge and very little defensive prowess. The Bruins can barely manage to stay in games on the road with a 8-10-2 record, the fourth-worst goals against average at 3.65 and the fifth-worst goals per game average at 2.45 this season. The Leafs have their demons with the Bruins and have struggled to down them in the past but this feels like a rout as the Bruins have almost nothing going for them.

There is the argument that they are due for a win but Toronto is a far superior team as of late and they only get better when playing at home with a 15-7-0 record.

Their defence is still eighth-best at home with a goals against average at 2.45 despite going through their horrid stretch of games as of late. Their last matchup in Toronto was earlier this season when they Leafs isolated the Bruins for a decisive 4-0 victory. A similar result should be found at the end of this one with the Leafs being energized by the return of their captain Auston Matthews.

The near 70-goal scorer has been in-and-out of the lineup for most of this season but should take advantage of the matchup against the weak Bruins road defence. Matthews also has a great history in this matchup with 17 goals and eight assists for 23 points in his last 23 games against Boston. He has just three goals in his last eight games and should return in a big way with a highlight reel goal.

We should also expect an impressive showing from their pairing of John Tavares and William Nylander, who have been tearing it up lately with 12 combined goals in their last nine games. Nylander has stepped up as Toronto's goal threat with Matthews out and has done so in a big way with 23 goals in 39 games. He has gone through a recent cold spill with five straight without a goal and that should come to an end tonight.

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