Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled and then offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups. Today we are looking at the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Philadelphia Flyers. Be sure to check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
NHL Predictions
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: SNO; ESPN+; HULU
In the second game of a home-and-home series, the Toronto Maple Leafs (26-13-2) face off against the Philadelphia Flyers (17-18-5) for the only time in Philadelphia this season. Toronto beat Philadelphia 3-2 in overtime on a Morgan Rielly goal Sunday night. The Flyers will be looking to return the favour tonight.
Maple Leafs at Midway Mark
The Toronto Maple Leafs have officially hit the midway point of the regular season. They are currently on pace for 108 points which would be a six-point increase from the 2023-24 season. The Maple Leafs enter game 42 on a four-game win streak and saw Auston Matthews return to the lineup Saturday night against the Boston Bruins. In his two games back, he has scored a goal to go along with four assists. The biggest beneficiary of the captain’s return may be Matthew Knies. The fellow Arizona-born winger looks rejuvenated with Matthews back as his centreman. Knies has four goals in his last two games including a hat-trick during a five-point effort Saturday.
It isn’t all good news for Toronto. During their game against the Flyers, Jake McCabe took a hard fall during a fight with Garnet Hathaway. Simon Benoit and Oliver Ekman-Larsson took on larger roles in his absence. They will have to continue to do so after McCabe was placed on injured reserve.
Flyers Trying to Solve Toronto Riddle
The Philadelphia Flyers have really struggled against the Maple Leafs in their last ten games going 1-7-2. The lone bright spot in that record is that the one win came on home ice last season when the Flyers beat the Leafs 4-3. That night Owen Tippett had a goal and an assist while being named the second star. Philadelphia would certainly take a repeat of that performance from Tippett as he has been struggling going goalless in six straight games.
Tippett hasn’t been the only one struggling. Rookie Matvei Michkov has also been struggling scoring only one goal in his last 13 games. They aren’t the only two to blame as the Flyers as a team went 2-3-1 on a six-game road trip sandwiched around the holiday break. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, they don’t play better at home. They have a home record of 8-9-1 compared to an ever so slightly better road record of 9-9-4. The Flyers will need both Tippett and Michkov to be better tonight.
Prediction
On paper, this game looks like a mismatch. The Leafs have dominated the series lately, and they have all of their superstars in the lineup up front. They will also have Joseph Woll in net after Dennis Hildeby faced the Flyers on the second half of a back-to-back. However, the Flyers were at the end of a long road trip and still played the Leafs tough, forcing the game into overtime. With many forwards struggling, whoever is in net for the Flyers will likely need a better performance than the team goals-against average of 3.55. That will be a tough ask against a Toronto top line that has been rejuvenated since Matthews’ return.
Prediction: Maple Leafs win 5-2
Prop Bets of The Night
Auston Matthews had four goals in three games against the Flyers last season. He didn’t get one Sunday but he doesn’t stay quiet for long. He is +105 to score in the game tonight. For the Flyers, Owen Tippett is due for a breakout performance. He had scored in two straight games against Toronto before not scoring Sunday. He is +270 to score.
Main Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions, some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
The post NHL Predictions: January 7 Toronto Maple Leafs vs Philadelphia Flyers appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.