There are only two NHL matchups on Friday night, but one is a marquee game: Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals hosting Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins (0-1-0).
The two veteran teams are hoping to keep pace in the NHL standings for the Eastern Conference this season, while Ovechkin, from a personal standpoint, is chasing the all-time goals record. He’s just 72 behind Wayne Gretzky and, if healthy, should break the record sometime next season.
Penguins vs CapitalsPicks
NHL Pick : Pittsburgh on the moneyline at -120. Also, take the over.
Here’s a closer look at the breakdown of the Pittsburgh Penguins roster, Washington Capitals roster, and the Penguins vs Capitals odds for Friday night’s game.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals Odds
Pittsburgh has NHL odds of -120 to beat the Capitals. They have a puck line of -1.5 (+190). The Capitals are paying out even money on the moneyline at +100 and have puck line odds of +1.5 (-230). The over/under for the Penguins vs Capitals odds is 6.5.
Penguins vs. Capitals Information
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals
Location of the game: Capital One Arena. Washington, D.C.
Date & Time: Friday, October 13. 7:30 p.m. ET.
How to Watch: ESPN+
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals Betting Preview
Penguins Looking to Bounce Back after Rocky Start
It’s far too early to draw conclusions, but for a team that was one of the NHL picks to improve upon last season’s result, Tuesday night’s loss to the Chicago Blackhawks at home has to be concerning for the veteran Penguins squad.
Pittsburgh missed the playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades last season, and new GM Kyle Dubas has pulled a lot of strings to get the team back to the postseason, most notably acquiring former Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks.
The NHL schedule today, however, presents a good opportunity for the Penguins to quickly move on and get motivated with the chance to play spoiler in the Capitals home opener.
Crosby and Bryan Rust scored for the Penguins in their first game of the season. While goalie Tristan Jarry, projected to start Friday, allowed three goals on 35 shots.
Can the Capitals Be Competitive in 2023-24?
Washington also missed the playoffs in 2022-23 but, unlike the Penguins, isn’t among the teams projected to improve upon last year’s NHL stats.
Washington was relatively quiet in the offseason and enters this year with a mix of veterans and young and inexperienced players. The core of Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Tom Wilson, T.J Oshie, and Evgeny Kuznetsov is joined up front by 24-and-under players Connor McMichael and Aliaksei Protas.
Washington’s defense may be among the worst NHL picks today. And their goaltending is suspect, with Darcy Kuemper starting in front of Charlie Lindgren. Kuemper posted a pedestrian 2.85 GAA and .909 save percentage in 2022-23.
One player the Capitals did add in the offseason is Max Pacioretty. However, the oft-injured forward is on the NHL injury report with an Achilles injury. He’s expected to miss at least the first month of the season.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals Betting Picks
Moneyline: Pittsburgh is a good bet on the Penguins vs Capitals odds for the moneyline at -120. Pittsburgh is expecting a bounceback season and should be ready to play Friday with two days’ rest.
Over/Under: It’s never a bad idea to take the over early in the season. As defenses and goalies usually take longer to adjust to the pace of play. There was an average of 7.3 goals per game in the first two days of the 2023-24 NHL season.
- NHL Pick: Pittsburgh on the moneyline at -120. Also, take the over.
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