Washington Capitals vs. Chicago Blackhawks Prediction, Preview, and Odds
The Washington Capitals (13-8-3) 2023-24 season has been an absolute roller coaster to this point, but in the tough Metropolitan Division, they've managed to stay in the middle of the pack, and with a talented veteran roster, this is a team that could become a major dark-horse threat in the Eastern Conference this season.
In this one, they'll do battle with the Chicago Blackhawks (9-16-1), who's season may revolve around their budding young superstar, but with a fun young roster, we've already seen them cause a few major upsets this year, and that if they add the right pieces around him, this could be a franchise set up for success for years to come.
Can the Capitals find much needed consistency?
The Washington Capitals have been a relevant squad for the best part of the past two decades with Alex Ovechkin, and now, they find themselves at a cross roads, with a 3-2-1 record in their past six games taking them to 13-8-3 on the season, good for fourth place in the stacked Metropolitan Division. On the road this season, Washington have posted a solid 5-4-1 mark in 10 games, but with a -11 goal differential, if they want to be considered genuine contenders by seasons end, this team still has plenty of flaws that need to be figured out.
After a slow start offensively, things have turned around in a big way, with the veteran trio of Wilson, Carlson and Ovechkin leading seven players in double digit points with 15 each, while goaltending continues to be rock solid, posting a combined 2.88 GAA and a .909 save percentage. Their last time out was a dominant win over the division rival New York Rangers, with nine Capitals pitching in with a single point on the night while Charlie Lindgren's 31 save shutout being enough for the 4-0 upset at home before a four game road trip begins.
Can the Blackhawks build on two impressive wins?
The Chicago Blackhawks entered their first rebuild in a decade over the past two years, and now, with the No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard on their team, the future is looking bright, even if they have just a 9-16-1 record on the season, placing them last in the Central Division. At home this season, the Blackhawks are just 5-6-1, but have picked up two straight wins in front of their home fans, and while a -26 goal differential on the season certainly looks bad, they've improved greatly in recent times, and are now a danger of a major upset at any moment.
Their young star Connor Bedard leads a group of seven veterans in double digits, posting 11 goals and 21 points in his first 26 games at the NHL level, while goaltending continues to hold up well, posting a steady 3.42 GAA and a .904 save percentage. Their last time out was a Saturday night thriller against the St. Louis Blues, with eight Blackhawks recording points as Petr Mrazek shut the door in net, stopping 38 of 39 save opportunities, allowing a fun 3-1 divisional win by the Blackhawks to kick-start their weekend.
Get 9 expert picks on the Sunday Night Matchup between the Eagles and Cowboys
Best Bets
Full-Game Side Bet
Rating:
Unsurprisingly, given their downward trajectory in recent years, the Blackhawks have been on the losing end of this rivalry, with the Capitals posting a 6-4 record in their past 10 head-to-head meetings, dating back to the 2017 NHL season.
The Capitals have also won the past two meetings, with a combined score of 13-4 over that time, and while the Blackhawks have picked up wins in their past two home games, this is a team that struggles to build momentum, as this is their first back-to-back wins of the campaign, and with a veteran Capitals team coming to town to face Chicago on the second night of a back-to-back, this should be a gritty win for Washington.
Prediction: Washington -160
Get 9 expert picks on the Sunday Night Matchup between the Eagles and Cowboys
Full-Game Total Pick
Rating:
While the goaltending has been rock solid for both of these teams this season, with the battle of veteran vs. young offensive groups in this one, it's safe to say that we'll see plenty of offense, just like we have in recent meetings, with the over sitting at 9-0-1 in their past 10 head-to-head matchups, with an average of 8.2 goals scored per game over that time.
For the Capitals, the over is 5-5 in their past 10 overall games, while they gave up a combined 10 goals in their past two games played on the road, and for Chicago, the over is 5-4-1 in their past 10 games, while the team has allowed over four goals per game in their past six losses, so if the favorite comes out on top in this one, it's even more of an indication that the offensive fireworks will follow.
