Toronto Maple Leafs vs Chicago Blackhawks Predictions and Preview

The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t playing like the Chicago Blackhawks of late, having dropped all of their last three games. Patrick Kane and company will look to regain their footing later tonight, where they’ll play host to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Will the Blackhawks end their losing skid? Or will the Maple Leafs finish their five-game road trip by taking down the defending champs?

Read on for more about this matchup. You can also check out our preview of the Stars vs. Preds game.

NHL News and Predictions

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Chicago Blackhawks Preview

Where: United Center, Chicago

When: Monday, February 15, 8:30 PM ET

Line: Toronto Maple Leafs at Chicago Blackhawks– view all NHL lines

TV Broadcast: CSNC (Local: TOR)/ TSNT (Local: CHI)

Betting on the Toronto Maple Leafs (20-25-9)

Given the rough season the Maple Leafs are having, they sure could use a couple of pleasant surprises to lift up the team. That’s exactly what happened on Saturday, when minor league call up Brendan Leipsic and rookie Mark Arcobello joined forces to lead the Buds into a skid-busting 5-2 win over Vancouver.

Leipsic wasted no time announcing his entry into the major league, as he scored his first career NHL goal against the Canucks, while Arcobello netted his first two goals of the season.

Toronto has been struggling on offense this season—just 26^th in the NHL in goals for with 2.4 per contest—so it was quite a morale-booster for the Leafs to see a couple of youngsters lead the way versus the Canucks. They figure to get significant ice time later tonight, especially if Tyler Bozak (head) is be declared out again.

Still, it’s the veterans who will have to show up against a tough opponent in Chicago. Leo Komarov, who scored a goal in the Vancouver game, tops the team in goals (18) and points (35), but was held scoreless with no shots on target when the Maple Leafs lost to Chicago, 4-1, on January 15.

Goalie James Reimer, meanwhile, may be back in front of the net after turning away 17 of Vancouver’s 19 shots the other night. Reimer is just 11-10-6 with a decent 2.29 GAA and .926 SV%. He made 25 saves on 28 shots faced in the previous meeting with Chicago.

The total has gone over in Toronto’s past five road games.

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Betting on the Chicago Blackhawks (36-18-5)

The Blackhawks are apparently cooling off after setting a club-record 12-game win streak. With a 3-2 overtime loss to Anaheim on Saturday, Chicago has now gone winless in three games and is just 4-6 over its last 10.

Chicago didn’t look like a defending champion against the Ducks, who had total control of the game. Anaheim had 44 shots on goal as against only 23 by the Blackhawks. The Ducks also played physical, recording 52 of the game’s 78 total hits.

Patrick Kane was surprisingly silent, as he registered just an assist with a solitary shot on goal. Kane is poised to get it going again versus the Maple Leafs, who had no answer to him in their first meeting this season. Kane had a hat-trick with an assist to boot, while getting help from rookie Artemi Panarin, who had a goal and two assists in that game.

The Maple Leafs did try to play aggressively against Chicago in the first meeting, as Toronto outhit the ‘Hawks, 26-8. Chicago, however, made them pay by scoring two power play goals on six opportunities. The Blackhawks are eighth in the league in power play percentage (20.3).

As for their defense, the Blackhawks are counting on Corey Crawford to hold the fort between the pipes. Despite the loss to Anaheim, Crawford had a sensational 41-save effort, including 18 in the third period. He is 31-14-3 with a 2.19 GAA and .930 SV% on the season.

Chicago is 5-0 in its last five home games against the Maple Leafs.