{"id":480524,"date":"2025-12-23T08:09:32","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T13:09:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=480524"},"modified":"2025-12-22T22:51:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T03:51:43","slug":"nhl-predictions-december-23rd-pittsburgh-penguins-toronto-maple-leafs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2025\/12\/23\/nhl-predictions-december-23rd-pittsburgh-penguins-toronto-maple-leafs\/","title":{"rendered":"NHL Predictions: December 23rd Pittsburgh Penguins at Toronto Maple Leafs"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Toronto Maple Leafs get set to face the Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a>, this matchup feels like a must-win given where Toronto sits in the Eastern Conference standings. The Leafs are running out of runway and can\u2019t afford to let winnable points slip away. Meanwhile, the Penguins remain a veteran team that knows how to take advantage of mistakes. The Maple Leafs’ urgency should tilt heavily in the Leafs\u2019 favour. Welcome back to another edition of NHL Predictions<\/em> with Last Word On Hockey<\/em>. Today, it\u2019s Leafs vs Penguins.<\/p>\n

NHL Predictions: Maple Leafs vs Penguins and What to Watch<\/h2>\n

2025\u201326 Head-to-Head:<\/strong> Maple Leafs 2-0 Penguins<\/p>\n

Time: <\/strong>4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)<\/p>\n

How to Watch:<\/strong><\/a> Sportsnet Ontario, ESPN+, TNT<\/h3>\n

Penguins Lean on Experience and Structure<\/h3>\n

The Pittsburgh Penguins enter this matchup doing what they\u2019ve done for years. That is, relying on structure, experience, and star power to stay competitive. Sidney Crosby<\/a> remains the engine of this team, setting the tone every night with his work ethic and two-way play. Veterans like Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang may not be at their peak anymore, but they\u2019re still capable of punishing mistakes when given time and space.<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh isn\u2019t a fast team, but they\u2019re a smart one. They thrive when opponents get sloppy through the neutral zone or try to force plays offensively. The Penguins will look to slow the game down, limit rush chances, and make Toronto work for everything. If the Leafs get careless with the puck, Pittsburgh will capitalize.<\/p>\n

The Story for the Maple Leafs is Urgency is Non-Negotiable<\/h3>\n

For Toronto, there are no excuses left.<\/a> The Leafs are at the bottom of the Atlantic Division and continue to lose ground in the Stanley Cup Playoff race. Effort, execution, and accountability all need to show up from the opening faceoff.<\/p>\n

The spotlight is firmly on the Leafs\u2019 core. Auston Matthews<\/a> needs to drive play and dictate the game offensively. William Nylander<\/a> has to clean up the turnovers and re-engage physically. John Tavares and Morgan Rielly must provide steady leadership in tough road conditions. Against a disciplined Penguins team, one-dimensional hockey won\u2019t be enough, you need to power through.<\/p>\n

Special teams could play a major role. Toronto\u2019s power play has struggled badly this season, but Pittsburgh\u2019s penalty kill has shown cracks. If the Leafs get chances with the man advantage, they need to simplify and convert. At five-on-five, Toronto must play a direct game, pucks to the net, traffic in front, and no unnecessary risks at the bluelines.<\/p>\n

Defensively, limiting Crosby\u2019s line is priority number one. That means tight gaps, strong support down low, and avoiding extended defensive-zone shifts. In goal, Toronto doesn\u2019t need perfection. Moreover, they simply need composure and timely saves. However, this is a good chance to add our disclaimer. Please check social media for the very latest lineup news before locking in your daily fantasy rosters.<\/p>\n

NHL Prediction<\/h3>\n

Final Score Prediction:<\/strong> Maple Leafs win 4\u20133<\/em><\/p>\n

This game should be tight, but desperation often reveals who really wants it. If Toronto plays with urgency and discipline, they have enough talent to outscore Pittsburgh. The Penguins will make it uncomfortable, but this feels like a game where the Leafs finally respond.<\/p>\n

Anything less than two points would be another damaging setback for a team already running out of time.<\/p>\n

Best Betting Angles:<\/h3>\n
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    Moneyline:<\/strong> Maple Leafs to win<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Total Goals:<\/strong> Take the Over on 6.0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Player Prop:<\/strong> Auston Matthews anytime goal. Dude is a sniper, let it rip.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  • Total Estimated Payout:<\/strong> +380<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Main Photo Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

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    Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions; some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    As the Toronto Maple Leafs get set to face the Pittsburgh Penguins, this matchup feels like a must-win given where Toronto sits in the Eastern Conference standings. The Leafs are running out of runway and can\u2019t afford to let winnable points slip away. Meanwhile, the Penguins remain a veteran team that knows how to take […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5672,"featured_media":453488,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18,4547,4548,12,4524],"tags":[6123,6062],"class_list":["post-480524","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-leafs","category-hockey","category-nhl","category-penguins","category-nhl-predictions","tag-pittsburgh-penguins-predictions","tag-toronto-maple-leafs-predictions"],"modified_by":"Levi Pike, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5672"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=480524"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480524\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":480559,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/480524\/revisions\/480559"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/453488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=480524"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=480524"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=480524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}