Capitals vs Canadiens Prediction NHL Picks 2/17/24

Montreal Canadiens (22-24-8) vs Washington Capitals (23-21-8)

Game Info: Saturday, February 17, 2024 at 7:00 pm (Bell Centre)

Betting Odds: Montreal Canadiens -111 / Washington Capitals -111 --- Over/Under: 6

The Washington Capitals and the Montreal Canadiens meet in NHL action from the Bell Centre on Saturday. Who comes out on top in this Eastern Conference clash? Let’s dive in and find out with our Capitals vs. Canadiens Prediction.

Washington Capitals Team Preview

The Washington Capitals come into this one looking to rebound from a 6-3 loss to Colorado in their last matchup. Alex Ovechkin leads the Capitals in scoring with 37 points including 14 goals and 23 assists while Dylan Strome has 35 points with a team-high 20 goals and 15 assists. John Carlson has 30 points with a team-high 27 assists while Anthony Mantha has 26 points with 16 goals this season. In goal for Washington, Darcy Kuemper has gone 11-12-3 with a 3.17 GAA and an .894 save percentage while Charlie Lindgren is 10-8-4 with a 2.65 GAA and a .913 save percentage and Hunter Shepard is 2-1-1 with a 3.19 GAA and an .894 save percentage this season. The Capitals will take on the Devils after this one.

Washington Capitals Team Facts

• The Capitals have lost each of their last six night games.
• The Capitals have failed to cover the puck line in each of their last seven games as favorites against Atlantic Division opponents.
• The Capitals have lost the first period in seven of their last eight night games against Atlantic Division opponents.
• The 'Over 1.5 Goals Period 3' market has hit in each of the Capitals' last seven games following a loss.

Montreal Canadiens Team Preview

The Montreal Canadiens come into this one looking to bounce back from a 7-4 loss to the Rangers in their last game. Nick Suzuki has a team-high 52 points with 19 goals and 33 assists while Cole Caufield has 45 points with 19 goals and 26 assists. Mike Matheson has 40 points with a team-high 33 assists of his own. Jake Allen is 5-10-3 with an .895 save percentage and 3.63 GAA while Sam Montembault is 12-9-4 with a 3.21 GAA and a .903 save percentage in goal for Montreal this season. Cayden Primeau is also 5-5-1 with a 3.07 GAA and a .903 save percentage this season for the Habs. The Canadiens will play against the Sabres after this game.

Montreal Canadiens Team Facts

• The Canadiens have won each of their last three games as home underdogs against Metropolitan Division opponents.
• The Canadiens have covered the puck line in each of their last seven games as underdogs against opponents on a losing streak.
• The 'Over 1.5 Goals Period 1' market has hit in each of the Canadiens' last five games following a road loss.
• The Canadiens have won the first period in each of their last seven games against Metropolitan Division opponents.

Capitals vs. Canadiens Prediction

I’m on Montreal here. You have two teams that are both sliding right now, but in that case, it makes it a lot harder to stomach laying juice with Washington on the road. Montreal at least has home ice advantage and the Canadiens have also won the last three meetings between these two. I’ll take a shot on Montreal here.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.