Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs NHL Playoffs Odds and Game 1 Preview — May 20th, 2021

By Hank Blaine • May 20, 2021

Since 1979, these two haven’t met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs during the quarterfinals. Now Canada is gearing up for the first game of the series between the Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs. There is a lot of history between these two and it’s one of those intriguing matchups that can bring some heat to kick it off. Who will take their first victory of this series?

With that, we go over the highlights of the upcoming game, including recent team form, the latest NHL odds, betting trends, and betting predictions, all of which are geared to help you lock in those winning picks. Don’t forget to check out more Hockey odds and lines at our online BTC sportsbook before placing your bets!

Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs Game 3 Information

When: Thursday, May 20, 2021, 6:30 PM ET
Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TV: NHL Network, CBC, SN, TVAS
Radio: Fox Sports 640 South Florida (Panthers) / WFLA 970 AM (Lightning)
Live Stream: NHL Live
NHL Betting Odds: Tampa Bay Lightning (-137) / OU: 6

Why Bet on the Montreal Canadiens?

Many are wondering what lineup will the Canadiens bring in Game 1. It seems that they will be heading into the matchup with a heavy lineup of veterans. If we look at their recent activity, they had a tough end of the season, due to COVID-19 protocol. Some times they had to have back to back games and sometimes there wasn’t a day off. But with the bad comes the good. This delay brought a bigger one in Canada because of the pandemic, so they’ve had time to rest before the series starts.

They will have captain Shea Weber return, along with Brendan Gallagher and goaltender Carey Price. Interesting to point out that before Gallagher had his injury on April 6th, the Habs had better stats than when he wasn’t there. So the change in lineup could bring a lot of benefit for them in the long run, if they maintain themselves healthy.

Why Bet on the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Toronto hasn’t won a playoff series since 2004. And to add more fuel to the fire, they’ve haven’t had much success against the Canadiens during the postseason. This was during the 1977 semifinals and the 1979 quarterfinals. But looking at this season’s performance, they won seven of 10 games against the Habs. So things might change this time around.

One of the big questions surrounding the Toronto camp is their goaltender Jack Campbell. Though he did start off well in replacing the injured Frederik Anderson, he hasn’t been able to maintain stability in net. They will need to hold a rough defensive to ensure they don’t get mauled.

Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs Betting Trends

The Canadiens are 0-5 SU in the last 5 games.
The Canadiens are 2-5 SU in the last 7 games against Toronto.
The total went OVER in 4 of Montreal’s last 5 games.
The Maple Leafs are 7-3 SU in the last 10 game.
The Maple Leafs are 8-2 SU in the last 10 games when playing at home against Montreal.
The total went UNDER in 6 of Toronto’s last 9 games against Montreal.

Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs Expert Betting Predictions

An few extra stats to point out here is that every time Toronto has met Montreal in Playoffs, which have been seven, they go on to win the Stanley Cup. For the Habs, they’ve won the tropy after seven of eight playoffs series wins against the Leafs.

But the uncertainty and effectiveness of the lineup for the Habs keeps them as a unsafe bet. Plus the fact that they’re playing on the road could break the squad up in Game 1. Toronto’s offense could bring hell over Montreal tonight, as long as none of their top players gets injured. It’s going to be an interesting Game 1.

Feel free to browse sports betting guides. While you are at it, go ahead and check out all the latest NHL betting odds and more in our online BTC sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.