Maple Leafs struggling after Winter Games break

Life after the Milan Cortina Olympics has been tough for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Life after the Milan Cortina Olympics has been tough for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toronto is a dismal 0-6-2 since the NHL resumed play following the Winter Games. The Leafs’ latest setback was a 3-1 decision in Montreal on Tuesday night.

Toronto did gain a point with a 4-3 shootout loss to New Jersey on March 4 but followed that up with a 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., 45 per cent of Proline players backed New Jersey’s win. Thirty-nine per cent had Toronto at +1.5 goals while 57 per cent correctly took the over at six.

But only 31 per cent of players had New York to earn its victory while 57 per cent had the over at six.

And then Saturday night, the Tampa Bay Lightning added to Toronto’s woes with a 5-2 victory. A solid 77 per cent of bettors backed the Lightning while 73 per cent successfully took the over 6.5 goals.

Also on Saturday, 91 per cent backed the Winnipeg Jets’ 3-2 victory over Vancouver while 61 per cent correctly picked Montreal in its 4-3 victory over Los Angeles. Just eight per cent of bettors had Calgary earning a 5-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes while 63 per cent saw the Ottawa Senators downing Seattle 7-4.

Last week wasn’t a great one for the Toronto Raptors, who went 1-2, the lone victory being a 122-92 decision Sunday over the Dallas Mavericks. That followed losses to the New York Knicks (111-95 on March 3) and a 115-107 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on March 5.