New Jersey Devils at Washington Capitals odds, picks and predictions
The New Jersey Devils (51-22-8) visit the Washington Capitals (35-37-9) on Thursday. Puck drop from Capital One Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Devils vs. Capitals odds, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Devils enter the regular season finale with 110 points, just a single point back of the 1st-place Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division. New Jersey can steal the division with a win and a Carolina loss in either overtime or regulation. The Hurricanes wrap up the regular season at the Florida Panthers Thursday.
If the teams end up tied, regulation wins are the tiebreaker, and the Devils enter play with 39 regulation wins to just 38 for the Canes.
The Capitals have been in freefall for the past calendar month, going 3-9-2 across the past 14 games since March 14. Washington has been eliminated from the postseason. The Devils skated away with a 3-2 win in a shootout on March 9 when these teams last played in Washington.
Devils at Capitals odds
BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:25 a.m. ET.
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Devils at Capitals projected goalies
Vitek Vanecek (33-11-4, 2.45 GAA, .911 SV%, 3 SO) vs. Darcy Kuemper (22-26-6, 2.83 GAA, .909 SV%, 5 SO)
Vanecek faces his former team looking to propel his current club to a division title. He has picked up 3 consecutive wins — all against non-playoff teams — while allowing just 4 goals on 78 shots during the win streak. He is 3-1-0 with a 2.18 GAA and .919 SV% in 4 starts in April.
The last time he faced the Capitals he allowed just 1 goal on 38 shots in a 5-1 win on Nov. 26 in Newark.
Kuemper was thrust into action at the Boston Bruins Tuesday, as G Charlie Lindgren suffered an undisclosed injury. Kuemper stopped 6 of the 7 shots he faced. However, the veteran has allowed 4 or more goals in 4 of his past 6 starts and 6 of the past 9 outings.
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Devils at Capitals picks and predictions
Prediction
Devils 5, Capitals 1
The DEVILS (-190) are priced just above my personal limit for a singular moneyline wager. New Jersey is still an okay play on the money line, as I expect it to roll against the eliminated and disinterested Washington team, but proceed with caution due to the steep odds.
To make matters worse for Washington, LW Alex Ovechkin missed a 3rd straight game Tuesday due to an upper-body injury and is questionable. C Nic Dowd (undisclosed), RW Anthony Mantha (lower body) and D Trevor van Riemsdyk (upper body) are each nicked up and uncertain to play.
The DEVILS -1.5 (+135) are certainly worth playing against the banged-up and eliminated Capitals.
New Jersey has won 11 of its last 12 games inside the Metropolitan Division, so this seems like a slam-dunk play. However, there is a bit of risk as the Devils are just 1-4 in the past 5 on the road.
The UNDER 6.5 (+100) is the lean, as it’s uncertain who is going to actually score for the Capitals with all of the injuries.
The Under is 4-1-1 in the past 6 games against Metropolitan Division teams for the Devils while cashing at a 7-3-1 clip in their last 11 on a single day of rest.
