The Washington Capitals will head to New York to take on the Rangers in this Metropolitan Division matchup. The puck drop for this game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. eastern from TD Garden.
The Capitals have won four straight and are looking to continue to improve their spot in the NHL standings. The Rangers are also playing solid hockey, winning eight of their last ten games.
Before making our Capitals vs Rangers game prediction, let’s look at the NHL odds and NHL stats to help us make our NHL picks today.
Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers
Odds Breakdown
Moneyline
The Rangers are the moneyline favorite, with odds at -155. The Capitals have odds at +135 to win the game outright.
Puck Line
The Rangers have a puck line of -1½ with odds at +165. The Capitals’ puck line is sitting at +1½ with odds around -190.
Total Goals
The goal total for the game is set at six goals. The over has odds at -115, while the under has odds at -105.
Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers Betting Preview
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals come into tonight’s game playing the best hockey of their season. While they have put decent stretches of hockey together so far this season, they have won nine out of their last ten games during this stretch of games they are currently on.
The overall offense for the Capitals has some work to be done, as they average 3.09 goals per game, which is 19th in the league. The Capitals averaged 3.4 goals per game.
Defense and goaltending have been their strong suit. The Capitals are giving up 2.78 goals per game, which is 11th in the NHL. The Capitals are giving up just 2.0 goals per game in their last five games.
The Capitals are 5-0 in their last five away games and are averaging 4.4 goals per game. During those five games, they are giving up an average of 2.0 goals per game.
Alex Ovechkin is leading the team with 41 total points. He has scored 22 goals and assisted on 19 others. In their last ten games, Ovechkin has racked up 16 total points.
Charlie Lindgren has been the goaltender for the Capitals during this magical stretch of games. He has a record of 10-4-1 and is giving up 2.60 goals per game. He has won his last three starts giving up a combined six goals.
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are also playing some of the best hockey of their season. Coming off of a seven-game winning streak to begin the month of December, the Rangers are working themselves towards making serious progress in the standings.
The Rangers are averaging 3.29 goals per game this season as a team, which is 11th in the league. The Rangers are averaging 4.6 goals per game in their last five games.
The defense and goaltending have been great for the team, giving up 2.71 goals per game as a team. The Rangers are giving up 2.2 goals per game in their last five games.
The Rangers are 4-1 in their last five home games. Offensively, the Rangers are averaging 4.0 goals per game in those five home games. They are giving up 3.2 goals in those home games.
According to the NHL player stats, Artemi Panarin is leading the team with 41 total points. He has scored nine goals and assisted on 32 others to get to 41 points. He has recorded 15 points in their last ten games.
Ilya Shesterkin is the Rangers’ main goaltender. He has a record of 17-5-3 and is giving up 2.44 goals per game. Shesterkin has won seven of his last eight starts.
Another advantage the Rangers have, besides home ice, is the quality of their NHL injury report. The Rangers currently have no one listed, while the Capitals have several players who are dealing with ailments.
Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers Pick and Prediction
Looking at the NHL schedule today, this may be one of the best NHL matchups on the slate of games. While this game is going to be a great hockey game, it makes it very tough to make a Capitals vs Rangers game prediction.
These two teams have not met yet this season. Last season, these two teams played three times, with the home team winning all three games.
The first of two NHL picks for this game is going to be the Rangers’ moneyline. The Capitals have been solid on the road recently, but before this stretch, they have struggled mightily.
The second is going to be under the six goals. Both teams have top-tier goaltenders playing at a very high level. If they play average hockey, this game will stay under the six total goals.
Final Capitals vs Rangers game prediction: 3-2 Rangers
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