Posted at 10:00 AM EST. Odds subject to change.

Pinnacle  +101  BET365  +100 Sportsinteraction  +100 888Sport  +100

Vancouver +101 over Toronto

7:07 PM EST. There is a lot going on in downtown Toronto today, as the Hockey Hall of Fame is celebrating the induction of the 2023 class. Because of their proximity to the location of those hallowed halls, the Maple Leafs get wrapped up in all the pomp and circumstance. This year’s class includes Tom Barrasso, Mike Vernon, Henrik Lundqvist, and Pierre Turgeon, among others. It’s always a nice weekend for those involved, but it's also a distraction.

We’ll note that the Maple Leafs played a hard-fought and feisty affair with the Flames just last night. Toronto would take an early 4-1 lead, but after 40 minutes, it was just 4-3, and when the dust settled after 60 minutes of regulation, the score was tied 4-4, and we were headed to overtime where nothing was solved. So, the shootout cleaned up the tie, with the Leafs winning the game 5-4.

They say that goalies love to see the rubber early and often to get a groove, and Thatcher Demko is no different. He has thrived in situations where the Canucks have started slow, as they did against the Oilers on Monday night where Vancouver was outshot 20-8 in the first period. Not only did Demko keep his team in the game, but the Canucks would storm back with three goals in less than four minutes in that first frame to take a 3-1 lead, which they would not give back. Demko did not play in the Canucks' win over Ottawa on Thursday night, but he was just as good, stopping 28-of-30 Senator shots in a game Vancouver won 5-2.

If the Canucks are taking back a price in a hockey game, we are going to be very interested in that proposition because this is a team that should not be in such a role very often. There are very few nights where the Canucks, to a man, aren’t going to be the better team on the ice, and this night is included. When Toronto gets a goaltender and four defensemen, they'll be right there, until then, we'll stick with it.  

Sherwood

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