Betting Breakdown: Battle of Ontario shifts to Ottawa as Batherson, Sens look to respond

Game 3 of the Battle of Ontario goes Thursday night as the Ottawa Senators look to pull themselves off the mat after a heartbreaking overtime loss in Game 2. 

After dropping Game 1 by a wide margin, the Sens responded by taking the Leafs to overtime in Game 2, almost getting that ever-so-desired split on the road. 

However, a costly turnover from Drake Batherson gave Toronto a rush into the zone and Max Domi scored the OT winner to give Toronto a 2-0 series lead for the first time since his dad Tie was a member of the team in 2002. 

They say in the playoffs you’re not in trouble until you lose a game on home ice, so as the series shifts to Ottawa, we can expect a desperate Sens team looking to win a playoff game for the first time since 2017. 

Ottawa is -124 on the moneyline at FanDuel, with Toronto +106 to take a 3-0 series lead. 

Join me as I spotlight a few key storylines to monitor tonight before handing it off the TSN’s Senior Sports Betting Analyst, Domenic Padula, for his best bet of the game. 

Batherson looking to bounce back 

“You live and you learn, you make a mistake and you learn from it.” 

Those were the words from Batherson on Wednesday speaking about his turnover that led to the Leafs game-winning goal in Game 2. 

He added, “It cost us the game. I definitely wish I could have that one back.”

Sens coach Travis Green pointed out to the media assembled on Wednesday that it was Batherson that almost was the hero in Game 2 late in the third period. 

Batherson had a Grade A chance with just under one minute left in regulation Tuesday night but was turned aside by Leafs goalie Anthony Stolarz to send the game to overtime. 

“You live in the present, and when you make a mistake that you don’t like, that ends up in the back of your net, it doesn’t feel good.” Green said, “It’s funny. He could have been the hero with 50 seconds left in the game, and he does a lot of good things for our team.

Batherson was second on Ottawa this year with his 26 goals and 68 points. This series he has one point, which came via goal in the first period of Game 1. 

Tonight he is -148 to get a point and +230 to score. 

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING 

Tonight will be the sixth meeting between the two teams this season, and if it’s like most of the other games, we can expect fireworks early. 

There has been a goal in the first 10 minutes in four of the five games between the team teams, including both playoff games in Toronto. 

FanDuel has set the price at -150 for a goal to be scored in the first 10 minutes (GIFT) in Game 3. 

DOM’S BATTLE OF ONTARIO GAME 3 BEST BET

Auston Matthews led the NHL with 69 goals in 81 games last season. It was impossible to maintain that ridiculous pace, but he still averaged a goal every other game this season.

So far, he’s 0-for-2 in the playoffs. Yes, I’m explaining that he is due. Matthews has torched Linus Ullmark in his career. While he’s still looking for his first goal of the series, he’s already had plenty of scoring chances.

Two games without a goal means we can bet him to score tonight at +155 at FanDuel - the best price in this series to date.

Give me Matthews anytime goal at +155.