Washington wants to continue to ascend up the Metropolitan Division opponents with a win over a struggling Vancouver team. The Canucks have lost four of their past five games and have been struggling to score any goals. The Capitals, meanwhile, sit one point out of first place but have gone 4-3-3 over their past ten games.
Last games record
Washington is 21-8-9. The Capitals beat the Islanders 2-0 on Saturday. The Canucks are 16-18-3. Vancouver lost 1-4 to Carolina on Saturday.
Matchup Information
- 2:00 p.m., Jan. 16, 2022
- Washington, D.C.
- Capital One Arena
Vancouver vs. Washington Betting Analysis
Vancouver Betting Analysis
The Canucks haven’t been a very potent offense, only scoring 2.5 goals per game, which ranks 28th in the league. Bo Horvat leads Vancouver with 12 goals.
J.T. Miller and Conor Garland has also contributed 11 and 10 goals, respectively. The Canucks are good on the draw, ranking 10th in the league by winning 51.4 percent of their face-offs.
Thatcher Demko is 15-14-1 in net for Vancouver. Demko has stopped 91.4 percent of the shots he’s seen, which ranks 21st in the league. Demko has also recorded one shutout.
Vancouver has the worst penalty kill in the league, only stopping 69.2 percent of its opponents’ man advantages.
The Canucks rank 17th in the league, converting 19.1 percent of their power plays. Quinn Hughes leads the team with a nine plus-minus.
Washington Betting Analysis
The Capitals are a well-rounded team that has some issues on special teams. Washington ranks eighth in the league, scoring 3.3 goals per game. Center Alex Ovechkin, who is an ageless wonder, leads Washington with 53 points and has scored 25 goals this season.
Evgeny Kuznetsov (12 goals), Tom Wilson (10), and Conor Sheary (10) have also scored double-digit goals for the Capitals. The Capitals are the worst team in the league in face-off percentage, only winning 45.6 percent of their draws.
On the power-play, Washington only converts 14 percent of its opportunities, which ranks 29th in the league. The Capitals average 31.8 shots on goal per game, which ranks 15th in the league.
Washington goalie Ilya Samsonov ranks 25th in the league with 2.76 goals allowed average. The Capitals limit their opponents to 28.2 shots per game, which is the second-best mark in the league.
Washington has a strong penalty kill, ranking 10th in the league by killing 91.9 percent of its opportunities. The Capitals have accrued 315 penalty minutes.
Team updates
Washington placed right wing Riley Barber on the injured reserve Thursday. Ovechkin played through an upper-body injury Saturday against the Islanders. Vancouver right wing Alex Chiasson is out with health and safety protocols; he is expected to be out until Jan. 18.
Vancouver center Justin Dowling is also out with health & safety protocols and won’t be expected to return until at least Jan. 18.
- The Capitals are 20-17 against the spread.
- Washington has seen the score go over the total 19 times.
- Vancouver is 19-17 against the spread.
- The Canucks have seen the score go over the total 19 times.
Vancouver vs. Washington Betting Preview
The Capitals have been good at making sure they get at least one point in most of their home games. Washington has a 10-4-4 record at home and are set to play a team in the fourth game of a five-game long road trip.
Top sportsbooks have Washington as a -1.5 +138 favorite on the puckline, while Vancouver is +1.5 -165. The Capitals are -180 on the moneyline, while Vancouver is +150. The over/under is set at 6.
Vancouver vs. Washington Betting Prediction
Washington hasn’t had any problems breaking down opposing defenses this season. The Capitals will be able to find a way through a Vancouver defense that has struggled to play well in front of its goaltender this season. Washington will use its strong defense to lock down the Canucks while finding a couple of goals to protect home ice.
How to Bet on Vancouver vs. Washington
Bet on this one to stay under the total of 6.
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