The Toronto Maple Leafs have been scoring goals in bunches of late.

They’ve also been giving up goals in bunches.

While that’s a problem for a team coming off back-to-back losses to the Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks in which they’ve allowed an average of 5.5 goals per game, it provides bettors with an opportunity.

The over is 12-4-1 in Toronto’s 17 games dating back to Jan. 26.

That stretch includes three games in which one or both teams scored enough goals on their own for the over to hit on the game total.

The Maple Leafs went a combined 10-6-1 over that span.

Toronto’s next opponent has provided a similar opportunity for bettors of late.

In the Columbus Blue Jackets’ past 16 games, dating back to Jan. 27, the over is a combined 11-3-2.

That stretch also includes three games in which one of the two teams scored enough goals on its own to push the game total over the number.

With the Maple Leafs set to visit Columbus tonight, can we go ahead and pencil in another over?

All signs point towards another busy night for the goal cannon operator at Nationwide Arena.

Here’s the TSN EDGE Morning Coffee for Monday, March 7, 2022.

Expect goals in Columbus tonight

The Maple Leafs (3.64) and Blue Jackets (3.27) both rank in the top nine in goals per game this season.

Those numbers are even higher if we focus on their production over the past few weeks.

Toronto has averaged 4.24 goals per game dating back to Jan. 26 – the second-highest mark in the league behind only the Florida Panthers (4.33).

Columbus ranks fifth in that category over that same span with 3.82 goals per game.

Meanwhile, both teams rank in the bottom third of the league in goals allowed per game in that period.

The Maple Leafs’ goaltending situation will remain in the spotlight in the final weeks leading up to the NHL trade deadline.

Jack Campbell has posted a 4.04 goals-against average and an .873 save percentage over the past month.

Petr Mrazek has a 3.51 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage over that same span.

Mrazek will get the nod against the Blue Jackets tonight.

The Blue Jackets are expected to counter with Elvis Merzlikins, who hasn’t been much better.

Merzlikins owns a 3.51 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage over the past 30 days.

The game total is currently set at seven with the over at +105, so it will be interesting to see what that number is at by puck drop.

While the game total and team totals will likely be popular bets, there will also be action on the top two picks from the 2016 NHL Draft as they go head-to-head.

Auston Matthews, who leads the NHL with 39 goals this season, is -115 to score tonight.

Patrik Laine, who has scored 15 goals in his last 15 games dating back to Jan. 30, is +175 to score tonight.

Raptors’ slide continues

The Cleveland Cavaliers (-4.5) beat the Toronto Raptors 104-96 on Sunday night.

The Raptors fell to 2-5 straight up and 1-6 against the spread since the All-Star break.

There is no doubt that a large part of Toronto’s struggles can be attributed to the absences of Fred VanVleet and O.G. Anunoby.

The good news is that both players are travelling with the team on its current six-game road trip.

The bad news is that the team still doesn’t know when they will be available to play, and their schedule is about to get a lot tougher with games against the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets.

With a couple of days off before their next game against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, Raptors’ fans are hoping for some positive news.

NBA favourites went 6-2 straight up on Sunday, including Cleveland’s win, but there was one notable upset.

The Houston Rockets snapped a 12-game losing streak with a 123-112 win over the Memphis Grizzlies as a 10.5-point underdog. 

Scheffler wins Arnold Palmer Invitational

Shout out to Mark Zecchino for delivering another winner for TSN EDGE and Golf Talk Canada this past week.

Mark picked Scottie Scheffler to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational at +1800 – his third winner of the season!

Mark, Bob Weeks, and Adam Scully will be back with their best bets to win THE PLAYERS Championship on Wednesday.

For those wondering, Scheffler is +2200 to win at TPC Sawgrass this week.

Bowman wins in overtime at Las Vegas

Alex Bowman beat out Kyle Larson in a sprint to the finish in overtime at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday to win the Pennzoil 400.

Bowman, who was +2000 to win the race, started the overtime period side-by-side with Larson at the front of the pack.

The driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet edged ahead in the final seconds and captured his seventh career win.

Larson, who was a +350 favourite to win the race, placed second.

Next up, NASCAR heads to Phoenix Raceway for the Ruoff Mortgage 500 on Sunday.