Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes Prediction, Preview, and Odds
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The Washington Capitals face the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stadium Series with both teams looking to build off of strong seasons. The Capitals have a 28-23-6 record and are in the middle of the Metropolitan Division but have lost three games in a row. The Hurricanes have a 36-10-8 record and with nine wins in their last 10 games, they have the best record in the Metropolitan Division. Both teams look to continue to play well within the division and step up in front of a national audience and the upcoming game looks to be a great one as a result.
Capitals are led by strong offense
The Capitals are having a great season with their offense stepping up and scoring 3.04 goals per game. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dylan Strome have combined for 21 goals and 61 assists to lead the top line but the rest of the offense has also stepped up. Conor Sheary, Marcus Johansson, and Anthony Mantha have combined for 34 goals and 48 assists while defensemen Erik Gustafsson and Nick Jensen have added eight goals and 46 assists from the point to help open up the offense. Alex Ovechkin (personal) is out indefinitely.
The offense has been great but the defense has carried the Capitals, allowing only 2.88 goals per game. Erik Gustafsson and Trevor van Riemsdyk have combined for 6.5 defensive point shares and 173 blocked shots while Nick Jensen and Dmitry Orlov have combined for 5.6 defensive point shares to give the Capitals multiple great defensive pairings. In addition, goaltender Darcy Kuemper has stepped up with a .914 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average on 1075 shots with 9.2 goals saved above average.
Hurricanes have looked great on both ends of the ice
The Hurricanes are having a great season with their offense stepping up and scoring 3.35 goals per game including nine goals in the last two games. Martin Necas, Sebastian Aho, and Andrei Svechnikov have scored 64 goals and 78 assists to lead the top two lines but the entire offense has been great. Jordan Staal, Seth Jarvis, and Jordan Martinhook have combined for 37 goals and 44 assists while defensemen Brent Burns and Brady Skjei have added 21 goals and 43 assists from the point to put the offense over the top.
The offense has been great but the defense has also stepped up, allowing only 2.67 goals per game with only five goals in their last two games. Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei have combined for 6.8 defensive point shares and 115 blocked shots while Brent Burns, Jaccob Slavin, and Jalen Chatfield have combined for 9.5 defensive point shares to add depth to the unit. The hope is that goaltender Frederik Andersen can step up in the net as he has a .899 save percentage and a 2.61 goals-against average on 427 shots with -2.8 goals saved above average.
Best Bets for this Game
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This is going to be a great game between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals look to snap their losing streak but the Hurricanes look like one of the best teams in the league and with nine wins in their last 10 games look to control this game from the first period. The Hurricanes, who average 3.35 goals per game, should pile on the goals with Martin Necas, Andrei Svechnikov, and the rest of the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with great puck movement and quick cross-ice passes. The Hurricanes, who allow only 2.67 goals per game, should limit the Capitals' offense with Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, and the rest of the defensive unit creating turnovers in the defensive zone and limiting shots on the net, allowing goaltender Frederik Andersen to make plenty of easy saves. The Hurricanes should win the game and cover the spread in a dominant win on their home ice.
Prediction: Hurricanes -1.5 (+110)
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Both teams have great offenses and the upcoming game should reflect that with both forward units stepping up and finding the back of the net throughout the game. The Capitals, who average 3.04 goals per game, should create plenty of scoring chances with Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dylan Strome, and the rest of the forward unit carrying the puck into the offensive zone and creating open shots with great puck movement. The Hurricanes, who have scored nine goals in the last two games should run up the score with Sebastian Aho, Martin Necas, Andrei Svechnikov, and the rest of the forward unit crashing the net on the rush and creating open shots with effective puck movement while Brent Burns and Brady Skjei generate shots on the net from the blue line. The Over should cover in a high-scoring game controlled by both offenses.
Take the Over on 5.5 goals.
Prediction: Over 5.5
Mike Fink is a sports writer and a passionate football fan. After graduating from college, Fink picked up the passion he had since being a young child in following and covering all things sports and we are very excited to have him as a part of the StatSalt team. In recent weeks, Mike started a podcast which you can find on Spotify, called "The Mike and Grover Show" and it discusses all things football. He covers all forms of sports betting and also bets on all of the plays he gives out. Mike would advise hockey betting since the odds give you great payouts "Hockey is built to bet the Money Line Underdogs. Be sure and follow him on a daily basis.
