Vancouver Canucks vs. Washington Capitals Prediction, NHL Odds
Washington is looking to bounce back after their shootout loss on Monday in Buffalo. Both the Caps and Canucks will be playing to their strengths on Wednesday, with the Caps losing only four games at home, while the ‘Nucks have only lost four as the visitors.
The NHL odds have the Caps as a -165 favourite to win at home, with the total set at 6.0 goals. The puck will drop from Capital One Arena in Washington at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Canucks vs. Capitals NHL Betting Odds
This will be the first of two meetings between these squads, both of which will be played this month. Last season they split the series 1-1, both times separated by just a goal. The Canucks’ win last season came in overtime, putting the Caps at 4-0-1 in the past five head-to-heads.
The Canucks have given up too many goals this season, sitting 25th in the league (3.21 goals per game). The lack of defence has helped them to a 21-17-1 record on the OVER/UNDER, leading the Western Conference in OVERs. They have only covered the spread twice in their past 10 games and sit at 17-22 ATS on the year.
The Capitals have been making bettors money all season, especially on the spread, rocking an Eastern Conference-leading 25-15 record ATS. They have the best offence in the league, scoring 3.7 goals per game and are no slouch in the defensive end either giving up 2.65 per game, good for fifth.
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks started the season red-hot on the road but have been slipping in that regard over the past month, winning just one of the past six away from home, with a 1-2-3 record. They ran into a surging Canadiens team in Montreal Monday night, falling 5-4 in overtime. J.T. Miller carried the team offensively, picking up four points (2G, 2A), his best performance of the season so far.
Vancouver fell behind a minute into the game but erased the deficit to take a 3-1 lead until the game’s midway point. Three straight goals from the Canadiens then put them down 4-3, but the Canucks’ power play tied things up again before overtime.
Kevin Lankinen was in goal for this one, starting his fourth game in a row. The team brought him on to take starts while Thatcher Demko was out with an injury but has recently taken over the starting role. Demko has only appeared in seven games so far and has posted an .881 save percentage after being a favourite for the Vezina before the season.
Washington Capitals
The Caps have been trading wins and losses over the past eight games, but managing an overtime point in their past two losses has helped them hold onto top spot in the East. On Monday they came up short in a shootout versus the Buffalo Sabres on the road. Washington played catch-up for most of the game after falling behind early in the first period. Tom Wilson tied the game twice, getting his goal total up to 18 on the season. Aliaksei Protas (18th) scored the goal to tie things at three, sending the game to the extra frame where they would fall in the shootout.
This Washington team has been unbelievably good in the first half of the season, with more than a handful of players having career seasons. Dylan Strome is set to lead the team in scoring, on pace for 92 points, while Pierre-Luc Dubois, Protas and Wilson are all also on pace to shatter career highs.
Logan Thompson will be back in goal Wednesday as the Caps continue to split the starts between the netminders. Thompson has won four games in a row.
VAN
WAS