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Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Boston Bruins Free Game 5 Pick | NHL Preview

Leafs vs Bruins NHL Spread/Handicapping

The Toronto Maple Leafs take on the Boston Bruins in Game 5 Friday night down 3-1 in the series but probably deserving a better fate.

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Toronto Maple Leafs (27-19-1-5) at Boston Bruins (31-15-3-3)
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, May 10, 2013
Where: TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Broadcast: CBC, RDS, NHLN-US, NESN
Bruins lead series 3-1
Leafs vs. Bruins Betting Lines from TopBet
Toronto Maple Leafs +1½ -160 +186 Ov 5½ +129
Boston Bruins -1½ +140 -205 Un 5½ -142

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Do or Die Time for Leafs as They Visit Boston For Game 5

Toronto took the game to the Bruins in Game 4, outshot them but fell victim to Davis Krejci and an astounding hat trick. Now the Leafs will play for their playoff lives in a building that they have gone 2-12-1 in the last 15 trips. Ugh!

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The Toronto Maple Leafs have certainly had their moments in the playoffs so far but unfortunately for them they are up against one of the deepest, most talented and most experienced teams in the playoffs. In Game 4 it was an ill-advised chance taken by Captain Dion Phaneuf in overtime that was the difference between a 2-2 series and a 3-1 series.

The Leafs generated 48 shots in Game 4 and are now averaging 36.75 shots per game and 2.5 goals per game in the series so far. Phil Kessel has shaken his struggles against the Bruins and has three points in his last three games, Joffrey Lupul had a goal and an assist in Game 4, his second multi-point game of the series, Jake Gardiner has three points in two games, James van Reimsdkyk has three points in the series and Cody Franson has two points in his last two games. Toronto is getting solid production up front but obviously lack the depth of the Bruins.

Defensively the Leafs have been a tad vulnerable. James Reimer has been good, not great – 1-2-0 in his last two games with a 3.11 GAA and .919 save percentage. He will have to be absolutely stellar for the Leafs to have a chance. Word is that they will be forced to play without solid stay-at-home defenseman Mark Fraser who broke his face (seriously) in Game 4.[ad-4437448]

The Boston Bruins may be a tad lucky to be returning home up 3-1 but there is no doubting that they have been playing very well at both ends of the rink but have been matched by the surprising Leafs. Boston is averaging 3.75 goals per game in the playoffs and they have benefitted from some guy named David Krejci who had a hat trick in Game 4 and has five goals and 10 points in the playoffs so far. Line mate Milan Lucic has six points in the four games and other line mate Nathan Horton has four points in his last two games. Zdeno Chara has also been hot offensively with four points in two games and Jaromir Jagr has shaken his flu and now has two points in two games.

Goaltender Tuukka Rask has seen a fair amount of shots but he has been playing very well between the pipes for Boston. He has a 2.39 GAA and .932 save percentage so far and is outplaying James Reimer ahead of Game 5.

Betting Prediction

A few trends to consider:

• TOR are 7-16 in their last 23 Fri. games.
• BOS are 6-16 in their last 22 Fri. games.
• BOS are 36-15 in their last 51 vs. Northeast.
• Under is 9-4-3 in BOS last 16 home games.
• Over is 15-5-1 in the last 21 meetings in Boston.
• Over is 24-9-3 in the last 36 meetings.

This has been an emotional series indeed and both teams have been clicking offensively. The two clubs have averaged 78 shots per game between them with scoring chances galore in both ends of the rink. While I`m leaning toward Boston to close out the series in a building in which they have owned the Leafs the least four years, I am looking at the Total in this one.

Pick: the Over – 5 1/2 goals

By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.