Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers Picks and Predictions April 2nd 2025

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Florida Panthers April 2nd 2025

Planning on watching today’s Panthers and Maple Leafs game? Catch the action at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, as the Maple Leafs hosts this showdown at 7:30 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this game is set at 5.5 goals, and the Maple Leafs are favored by -1.5 against the Panthers in a Atlantic division matchup.

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Florida vs. Toronto Key Information

• Teams: Panthers at Maple Leafs
• Where: Scotiabank Arena Toronto
• Date: Wednesday, April 2nd
• Betting Odds TOR -124 | FLA +104 O/U 5.5

The Panthers Can Win If…

Florida’s 4-2 win over the Stars moved them to 44-26-4 this season. The Panthers covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals fell short of the 6.5 goal line.

Four different players scored for Florida, with A.J. Greer’s goal at 2:32 in the third period breaking a 2-2 tie. Sam Reinhart added an empty-net goal to seal the victory.

Carolina’s offense was highlighted by A.J. Greer’s first goal of the season, which came at the 17:28 mark in the third period. Sam Reinhart added an empty-netter, his 10th goal of the season. Earlier, Evan Rodrigues opened the scoring in the first period, and Matthew Tkachuk netted his third goal on a power play in the second.

The Panthers took 25 shots on goal and recorded 16 offensive giveaways. They ended the game with 6 assists.

Defensively, the Panthers will look to build off a strong performance in their previous game, where they allowed just 2 goals to the Stars. Spencer Knight made 23 saves, posting a 92% save percentage. The Panthers’ defense also recorded 8 takeaways, 22 hits, and 16 blocks. Both goals allowed came in the 2nd period, but the Panthers shut out the Stars in the 1st and 3rd periods.

• Across Florida’s last three regular season games, their record sits at 1-2. This includes going 0-3 vs. the puck line along with an over-under mark of 1-2.
• Across Florida’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 4-6. Across these games, their puck line record was just 0-10, while posting an over-under record of 4-6.

The Maple Leafs Can Win If…

Toronto’s latest outing was a 2-1 overtime loss to the Wild, bringing their record to 45-25-4. The Maple Leafs trailed early, with Minnesota scoring 10:19 into the first period. Toronto responded with a goal of their own at 19:08 in the first, but the Wild sealed the win with a goal 2:14 into overtime.

As underdogs on the puck line, Toronto failed to cover. The total for the game was set at 6 goals, but the teams combined for just 3. William Nylander scored the Maple Leafs’ lone goal, tying the game at 1-1 with just 52 seconds left in the first period.

William Nylander netted his 9th goal of the season in Toronto’s latest game, scoring on a power play at 19:08 in the first period. The Maple Leafs took 28 shots on goal but managed just one score in the 2-1 overtime loss to Minnesota.

Auston Matthews picked up his 6th assist of the season, while Mitchell Marner added his 12th. Toronto had 10 giveaways in the game.

Toronto’s defense gave up the first goal at 9:41 in the first period and the game-winner at 2:14 into overtime, but they didn’t allow any goals in the second or third periods. Goalie Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves, finishing with a 93.9% save percentage. The Leafs’ defense also recorded 2 takeaways and 30 hits.

• Through their last three games, the Maple Leafs have a record of 2-1. But, they did not perform well vs the puck line in these games, going 1-2. Their over-under record in these matchups was 1-2.
• Through their last ten regular season contests, Toronto has a record of 6-4. In these matchups, they ended with an puck line record of 6-4 and an over-under mark of 5-4-1.

The Lean

When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Maple Leafs to come out with a win against the Panthers while playing at home. Considering the moneyline odds at -124, I’m placing my bet on the Maple Leafs to win outright.

When it comes to my suggested pick for the puck line, I’d advise taking the Panthers to cover. Even in the event of a Maple Leafs victory, this matchup is likely to remain closely contested, and the Panthers should cover the puck line.

With an over/under line sitting at 5.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.

High Stakes in the Division Race

The Atlantic-leading Maple Leafs (45-25-4, 94 points) enter this crucial contest with a two-point advantage over the Panthers (44-26-4, 92 points) and a one-point lead ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Toronto is 6-1-1 in its past eight games and is determined to keep up the momentum.

After dropping a chance for two points in a 6-5 shootout loss to the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, the Maple Leafs rebounded with a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday and then edged the Anaheim Ducks 3-2 the following day.

“I thought the team competed hard (against Anaheim),” Toronto coach Craig Berube said. “I thought we were a little tired and gassed, or it looked like it anyway, but we did a good job defending. We did what we had to do to win the game.”
Mitch Marner, Max Domi, and Steven Lorentz each scored a goal, while Joseph Woll made 29 saves. Marner extended his point streak to five games with two goals and six assists.

A Challenging Road Ahead

Mitch Marner expressed pride in the team’s effort throughout their three-game California swing. “It’s not an easy road trip in any way. Three games in four nights, to get used to a three-hour time change,” he said. “The San Jose game wasn’t easy. We made some big mistakes that they counted on, but I thought we battled back to get a point, which is great. And then these last two, both teams very good, very hard to play against. We knew these are important points, we wanted to get them. I’m just happy with us digging in and battling for them.”

However, the Panthers will present a different challenge. Florida has won each of the past three meetings with Toronto, most recently posting a 3-2 win over the Maple Leafs on March 13. The Panthers enter the contest on little rest after falling to the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 in overtime on Tuesday. In that game, Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki scored the tying goal with 8.4 seconds left in the third period before pocketing the winner just 29 seconds into overtime. Tuesday marked the Panthers’ second consecutive loss to Montreal, following a 4-2 defeat on Sunday.

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Key Players to Watch

For the Panthers, Niko Mikkola and Mackie Samoskevich each found the net on Tuesday, while Vitek Vanecek made 18 saves in the loss. Sergei Bobrovsky is expected to return to the crease on Wednesday; the two-time Vezina Trophy recipient holds an impressive 15-8-1 career record against Toronto. Samoskevich emphasized the need for focus, stating, “I’m sure they’ll come out firing, they’ll be feeling good right at the start, so we got to be ready right away and I’m sure the building will be juiced just like this one. So, gotta get our minds right tonight and be ready for tomorrow.”