An Eastern Conference First Round series can conclude when the Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday night. The Maple Leafs are just one game away from getting over their first-round playoff hurdle, but the Lightning will not go down without their championship fight. Below is my NHL pick for the Lightning vs Maple Leafs.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs Betting Pick

The Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs -150 at BetUs

This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 27, 2023.

Why Bet the Toronto Maple Leafs:

✅ Toronto has had to come back twice in this series, but they now have a 3-1 lead and have won seven of their last eight games played.

✅ The Maple Leafs have won five of their last six games against the Lightning.

✅ Tampa Bay has lost seven of their last nine games played.

Tampa Bay Lightning Have Their Backs Against the Wall

The two games in Tampa Bay may have been some of the most stressful, and wild, two games of the entire first round. Tampa Bay will feel they should be heading back to Toronto with a 3-1 series lead, but, instead, they head to Canada just one loss away from hitting the beach.

Game four was a crazy one that saw the Lightning score two goals in the first period and take the lead into intermission. It was another great period for the Lightning, in the second, and they took a 4-1 lead heading into the third. Toronto was trailing 4-1 with just over 10 minutes to go, but they kept chipping away and scored three goals in just over six minutes to get the game to overtime. Just 4:14 into overtime, Alexander Kerfoot had a beautiful tip that went off the bar and into the net to complete the improbably Maple Leafs comeback.

In the loss, Alex Killorn, two goals, was joined on the scoresheet by Mikhail Sergachev and Steven Stamkos. Six Lightning players recorded an assist in game four.

The Toronto Maple Leafs Are One Game Away

Toronto had a stressful, but fun weekend down in Florida. The Maple Leafs scored with one-minute left in game three to force overtime and then grabbed that win with just 45 seconds left in overtime. It was a similar story in game four and the Maple Leafs just need one more win to get the second round.

Auston Matthews, Noel Acciari, Morgan Rielly, and Alexander Kerfoot all scored in the game four win. Five Maple Leafs recorded an assist on the night.