Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Washington Capitals: NHL Odds, Prediction
If the weather cooperates, nothing beats outdoor hockey. The final Stadium Series outdoor NHL game of the 2017-18 season is Saturday night as Toronto “visits” Washington at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. That’s about 32 miles from Washington, D.C.
Maple Leafs vs. Capitals Betting Analysis
The game will by the NHL’s 25th outdoor game in the Stadium Series all-time and third-ever outdoor game for both teams. Annapolis is home to the U.S. Naval Academy, and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, which opened on Sept. 26, 1959 and has a capacity of 34,000, usually houses the Midshipmen’s football team. This is the first outdoor game at a U.S. service academy but not the last. The NHL is planning to hold future Stadium Series games at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and at Michie Stadium at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York.
It has been warmer than usual this week in Annapolis, which has also seen some rain and wind. Because of that, neither team could practice Friday at the stadium but instead did at local rinks. It could get near 50 degrees in the area Saturday afternoon with a low of 37 degrees at night. There is zero per cent chance of precipitation but it will be windy. Could be a sloppy game.
It’s the last of three meetings this regular season between the Maple Leafs and Capitals. On Oct. 17 in D.C., the Leafs won 2-0 behind 30 saves from No. 1 star Frederik Andersen. Both goals were in the third period from Connor Brown and Nazem Kadri. Braden Holtby was in net for the Caps.
On Nov. 25 at Air Canada Centre, the Capitals won 4-2. Alex Ovechkin had a hat trick, while T.J. Oshie had three assists. Holtby made 27 saves. Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev scored for Toronto, and Curtis McElhinney stopped 17 shots.
The Leafs are 1-4 in the past five meetings overall.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs (39-20-7) have started a four-game road trip with back-to-back losses but got a point in each. They have been off since Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime defeat at the Florida Panthers. McElhinney was in net in the second of a back-to-back and stopped 28 shots; it should be Andersen on Saturday. Toronto did rally from a 2-0 deficit on goals from Zach Hyman and Dominic Moore, but Jared McCann scored at 3:47 of overtime for Florida. It was only Moore’s second goal since the end of November, and Toronto is now 3-2-1 when he scores a goal this season. Tuesday was the third straight game missed by Leafs star Auston Matthews due to a shoulder injury. He’s not expected back for a while.
Washington Capitals
Washington (36-21-7) is battling Philadelphia and Pittsburgh for the Metropolitan Division title, which the Caps have won the past two years on the way to the Presidents’ Trophy. The Capitals also have been off since Tuesday – the league wants its players well-rested in such a big showcase game – when they beat Ottawa 3-2. Evgeny Kuznetsov had two goals, and No. 2 goalie Philipp Grubauer made 28 saves. Holtby should be in there Saturday; he was pulled from Monday’s loss to Columbus after allowing four goals on 16 shots. Holtby has lost each of his last six decisions and is 28-14-14 on the season with a 3.02 GAA and .908 SV.
