Panthers vs Maple Leafs Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for NHL Playoffs Game 1 (Toronto Jumps Out to Crucial 1-0 Lead)

The 2022-23 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs continue on Tuesday, May 2 with Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Maple Leafs vs Panthers Game Info

• Date: Tuesday, May 2, 2023
• Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
• Venue: Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON
• Coverage: ESPN, ESPN+

The Maple Leafs and Panthers meet in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a spot on the Eastern Conference finals on the line. Toronto emerged victorious in three of its four regular season games against Florida this year, but these squads have never met head-to-head in the postseason.

Maple Leafs vs Panthers Odds & Spread

• All NHL betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: TOR: (-160) | FLA: (+132)
• Spread: TOR: -1.5 (+146) | FLA: +1.5 (-178)
• Total: 6.5 -- Over: (-112) | Under: (-108)

The Maple Leafs enter this contest as home favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This playoff clash also features an over/under of 6.5 goals with the over being slightly favored at -112 odds.

Favorite	Underdog	Total	Spread
Maple Leafs (-162)	Panthers (+134)	6.5	Maple Leafs (-1.5)

Maple Leafs vs Panthers Betting Trends

• Toronto is 13-10 straight up in its last 23 games against Florida.
• The total has hit the over in six of Toronto's last 10 games.
• Florida is 10-12 straight up in 22 games as an underdog this season.
• The total has hit the over in seven of Florid'as last 11 games.

Maple Leafs vs Panthers Prediction & Pick

Talk about not succumbing to pressure. The Maple Leafs earned their first playoff series win since 2004 in their first-round defeat of the Tampa Bay Lightning, while the Panthers climbed back from a 3-1 series deficit to take down the Boston Bruins thanks to an overtime goal in Game 7 on the road.

Both of these teams have momentum, but only one is playing on its home ice in Game 1. The Maple Leafs have won nine of their last 11 home games against the Panthers, dating back to 2017. They have also been dominant inside Scotiabank Arena overall, logging a 28-10-6 record this season.

These teams line up similarly across a number of statistical categories, but that is not the case when it comes to their power play units. The Maple Leafs rank second in power play percentage (26%) and 12th in power play kill percentage (81.9%), which outshines the Panthers' rankings of 10th & 23rd.

Final Score Prediction: Maple Leafs: 4 | Panthers: 3

Maple Leafs vs Panthers Best Bet

Offense was the key to victory for both teams in their respective first-round series as the Maple Leafs averaged 3.83 goals per game and the Panthers averaged 3.71 goals per game. Both of those marks check in higher that Toronto's and Florida's season average. More than 6.5 goals were scored in nine of 13 combined first-round contests as a result. Trust the offenses to keep that momentum going.

Bet: Over 6.5 Total Goals (-112)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.