The Toronto Maple Leafs will continue their California road trip as they drive south on the 5 Freeway to take on the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center. It's time to continue our NHL odds series and deliver a Maple Leafs-Ducks prediction and pick.

The Maple Leafs lost 4-2 to the Los Angeles Kings last night. Initially, they scored the first goal and held a 1-0 advantage heading into the second period. But things unraveled quickly when they allowed three second-period goals and could not recover. Consequently, Ilya Samsonov made 25 saves but allowed four goals. The Leafs lost 56 percent of the faceoff draws, unable to retain possession. Also, they converted 1 of 4 chances on the powerplay while allowing two powerplay goals. 

The Ducks could not score a goal, losing 4-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. Subsequently, Trevor Zegras tried his best with three shots on goal while Frank Vatrano added four. None of those seven shots went into the net. Unfortunately, John Gibson struggled again, allowing four goals, including three in an ugly second period. The Ducks pulled him and hope he can rebound. 

The Leafs swept the season series last year, winning both games. First, the Leafs dominated the Ducks 5-1 at Honda Center. Toronto then edged out Anaheim 4-3 in an overtime thriller in Eastern Canada. Consequently, the Ducks are 3-6-1 over their previous 10 home games against the Leafs. Six of the past 10 games at Honda Center have gone under 10 goals.  

Here are the Maple Leafs-Ducks NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel

NHL Odds: Maple Leafs-Ducks Odds

Toronto Maple Leafs: -1.5 (+124)

Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (-152)

Over: 7 (+120)

Under: 7 (-148)

Why The Maple Leafs Could Cover The Spread

The Maple Leafs are among the most talented and best teams in the NHL. However, they are going through some injuries right now that might make them vulnerable. Goalie Matt Murray is currently out with a groin injury, and defenseman Jake Muzzin has a neck injury. Therefore, these two injuries have significantly impacted their struggles recently. Muzzin could have filled the gaps in last night's second-period collapse. Additionally, Murray might have made better saves than Samsonov. Toronto is still scoring, but not at the rate they have in the past. Stunningly, the Leafs rank 22nd in goals fenced and 24th in shooting percentage. Toronto is also 16th on the powerplay and 25th on the penalty kill. 

John Tavares leads the Maple Leafs with three goals and six assists. Additionally, he has generated three powerplay goals. Defenseman Morgan Rielly has yet to score a goal but has generated seven assists. William Nylander has four goals and three assists. Also, he has two powerplay goals. Mitchell Marner has two goals and five assists, while Auston Matthews has two goals, five assists, and one powerplay goal. Subsequently, the rest of the team has been unable to generate goalscoring. 

Erik Kallgren may get the start tonight. Unfortunately, he has struggled in limited action, going 0-1 with a 3.50 goals-against average and a save percentage of .857. 

The Maple Leafs will cover the spread if they can attack the Ducks early and generate scoring. Also, they must avoid penalties and produce better goaltending. 

Why The Ducks Could Cover The Spread

The Ducks have lost every game since their season-opening victory. Ultimately, they have struggled to score and made plenty of mistakes. Anaheim cannot control the puck and allows too many shots. Additionally, they break down in the second period and enable teams to dominate them in that period. 

The Ducks rank 22nd in goals and 30th in shooting percentage. Also, they are 29th on the powerplay and 30th on the penalty kill. It is a far cry from the team that had a top-10 penalty kill last season. Subsequently, Anaheim has made every mistake in the book, resulting in their seven-game losing streak. The Ducks have to play more efficiently throughout all three periods. Substantially, they have played well in specific periods but have yet to put together a complete game. 

Troy Terry has four goals and five assists, while Zegras has four goals and one assist, including one powerplay goal. Also, Ryan Strome has one goal and three assists, including one powerplay goal. Mason McTavish is still searching for his first goal of the season, while Vatrano currently has three. 

Gibson is 1-5-1 with a 4.45 goals-against average and a save percentage of .884. Ultimately, the Ducks need his best today.  

The Ducks will cover the spread if they can dominate on special teams while avoiding penalties. Also, Gibson must play significantly better to help his team out. 

Final Maple Leafs-Ducks Prediction & Pick

The Leafs are hurting, and the Ducks are due for a win. Likewise, the Leafs played last night and will send an untested goalie. Expect the Ducks to finally snap out of their losing streak and steal one from Toronto.

Final Maple Leafs-Ducks Prediction & Pick: Anaheim Ducks: +1.5 (-152)