It’s a key Metropolitan Division matchup on Wednesday night in Washington as the Capitals prepare to host the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Washington was last in action on Monday when they snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-4 win against the Oilers.  Pittsburgh has been off since Saturday when they dropped their seventh straight game, 3-2 against Seattle.

After opening as underdogs, the line has shifted to make the Pens -128 favourites to win on the NHL odds, with a total of 6.5.

Penguins vs. Capitals NHL Betting Odds

The Capitals got the better of Pittsburgh last season, winning three of four meetings and outscoring the Pens a combined 18-11.  All four games hit the Over.

After an initial strong start to the season Pittsburgh has faltered mainly due to a poor road record of 1-5-1.  They’re 4-8 against the spread overall and have managed to cover in just one of seven road games.  These teams usually combine for high scoring games, with the total going Over in four of the Penguins’ last five trips to Washington.

The Capitals have struggled against the Eastern Conference, dropping eight of their last 10 games against East opponents.  They’re 8-6 ATS this season, including 4-3 ATS at home.  The total has gone Under in six of Washington’s last seven games.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s loss, while Kris Letang record two helpers.  Tristan Jarry stopped 25 of 28 shots faced, losing his fourth straight game.  Crosby and Guentzel share the team lead in goals with six apiece, while Crosby leads the team with 14 points.  Defensive issues have been a big problem for Pittsburgh.  The Pens have given up at least four goals five times on their current seven-game losing streak and have scored two or less four times over the same stretch.

There’s been no word on who will get the start in net on Wednesday between Jarry and Casey DeSmith.  Jarry, who has allowed 19 goals on 143 shots during an 0-3-1 skid, is 4-3-1 on the year, with a 3.38 goals-against average and .903 save percentage.  DeSmith is winless on the year, posting an 0-3-1 record with a 3.25 GAA and .904 SV.

Washington Capitals

It wasn’t exactly a stellar night for the goalies on Monday in Washington’s 5-4 win over the Oilers, but the Caps managed to snap their losing streak and get back in the win column.  Evgeny Kuznetsov finished the night with two goals and two assists, while Dylan Strome has two goals and an assist and Erik Gustafsson had three assists.  Alex Ovechkin, who leads the team in both goals (8) and points (13), scored the game-tying goal and assisted of Kuznetsov’s game-winner.  Backup Charlie Lindgren got the start in net, allowing four goals on 29 shots.

Monday’s win was a big one for a Capitals team decimated with injuries.  Defencemen John Carlson and Dmitry Orlov as well as forwards T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, Tom Wilson, Connor Brown, Carl Hagelin and Beck Malenstyn all missed the game and won’t play on Wednesday.  Off-season signing Darcy Kuemper is expected to start in net against the Penguins.  Kuemper, who backstopped the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup last season, is 4-5-1 with his new team, posting a 2.42 GAA and .919 SV.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Penguins vs. Capitals?

• Regular Season

Penguins Team Leaders

PIT

Points	Sidney Crosby 60
+ / -	Josh Archibald 8
Shots	Rickard Rakell 150
Penalty Mins	Jake Guentzel 32
Wins	Tristan Jarry 16
GAA	Tristan Jarry 2.65

WAS

Points	Alex Ovechkin 54
+ / -	Erik Gustafsson 9
Shots	Alex Ovechkin 224
Penalty Mins	Garnet Hathaway 48
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 15
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.62

• Regular Season

Capitals Team Leaders

PIT

Points	Sidney Crosby 60
+ / -	Josh Archibald 8
Shots	Rickard Rakell 150
Penalty Mins	Jake Guentzel 32
Wins	Tristan Jarry 16
GAA	Tristan Jarry 2.65

WAS

Points	Alex Ovechkin 54
+ / -	Erik Gustafsson 9
Shots	Alex Ovechkin 224
Penalty Mins	Garnet Hathaway 48
Wins	Darcy Kuemper 15
GAA	Darcy Kuemper 2.62

Injuries

Pittsburgh

Tristan Jarry (G)

Mid Feb Upper Body - 24 / 01 / 23

Kasperi Kapanen (RW)

Mid Feb Lower Body - 20 / 01 / 23

Jan Rutta (D)

Mid Feb Upper Body - 16 / 01 / 23

Marcus Pettersson (D)

Prob Mon Illness - 13 / 01 / 23

Marcus Pettersson (D)

Ques Thurs Undisclosed - 05 / 01 / 23

Tristan Jarry (G)

Out indefinitely Lower Body - 02 / 01 / 23

Ryan Poehling (C)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 02 / 01 / 23

Kris Letang (D)

Prob Tues Lower Body - 29 / 12 / 22

Chad Ruhwedel (D)

Ques Mon Undisclosed - 27 / 12 / 22

Ryan Poehling (C)

Prob Fri Upper Body - 20 / 12 / 22

Washington

Tom Wilson (RW)

Mid Feb Lower Body - 25 / 01 / 23

Nicklas Backstrom (C)

Ques Thurs Illness - 24 / 01 / 23

T.J. Oshie (RW)

Out indefinitely Personal - 23 / 01 / 23

Nic Dowd (C)

Mid Feb Lower Body - 16 / 01 / 23

Nic Dowd (C)

Prob Fri Personal - 05 / 01 / 23

John Carlson (D)

Late Feb Face - 23 / 12 / 22

Nic Dowd (C)

Ques Thurs Illness - 21 / 12 / 22

Nic Dowd (C)

Ques Mon Lower Body - 17 / 12 / 22

T.J. Oshie (RW)

Out indefinitely Upper Body - 17 / 12 / 22

Hunter Shepard (G)

Ques Mon Upper Body - 17 / 12 / 22

Injuries

Pittsburgh

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Tristan Jarry (G)	Mid Feb	Upper Body - 24 / 01 / 23	2-2	2-2	+ -
Jarry is out of action with an upper-body issue, and he is not expected to return until the middle of February.
Kasperi Kapanen (RW)	Mid Feb	Lower Body - 20 / 01 / 23	3-3	3-3	+ -
Kapanen has landed on the injured reserve list with a lower-body injury, and he is not expected to return until at least the middle of February.
Jan Rutta (D)	Mid Feb	Upper Body - 16 / 01 / 23	4-4	4-4	+ -
Rutta has been designated for the long-term injured reserve list with an upper-body ailment, and he will remain idle until at least the middle of February.
Marcus Pettersson (D)	Prob Mon	Illness - 13 / 01 / 23	4-6	5-5	+ -
Pettersson has missed the previous two games due to an illness, but it is likely that he will suit up versus the Ducks on Monday.
Marcus Pettersson (D)	Ques Thurs	Undisclosed - 05 / 01 / 23	6-7	6-7	+ -
Pettersson is dealing with an unspecified issue, and it is unclear if he will dress for Thursday's clash with the Golden Knights.
Tristan Jarry (G)	Out indefinitely	Lower Body - 02 / 01 / 23	6-8	6-7-1	+ -
Jarry has landed on the injured reserve list with a lower-body injury, and it is uncertain when he will return to the ice.
Ryan Poehling (C)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 02 / 01 / 23	6-8	6-7-1	+ -
Poehling has hit the injured reserve list with a upper-body injury, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Kris Letang (D)	Prob Tues	Lower Body - 29 / 12 / 22	6-10	7-7-2	+ -
Letang has been activated from the long-term injured reserve list after recovering from a lower-body injury, and it is likely that he will return against the Panthers on Tuesday.
Chad Ruhwedel (D)	Ques Mon	Undisclosed - 27 / 12 / 22	6-11	8-7-2	+ -
Ruhwedel has missed the last two games with an unknown injury, and it remains to be seen up he will lace up for Monday's showdown versus the Bruins.
Ryan Poehling (C)	Prob Fri	Upper Body - 20 / 12 / 22	7-12	8-9-2	+ -
Poehling has been activated from the injured reserve list after recovering from an upper-body ailment, and it is expected that he will be active for Friday's clash with the Devils.

Washington

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Tom Wilson (RW)	Mid Feb	Lower Body - 25 / 01 / 23	1-3	1-2-1	+ -
Wilson is idle with a lower-body injury, and he is not predicted to be back in the lineup until the middle of February.
Nicklas Backstrom (C)	Ques Thurs	Illness - 24 / 01 / 23	1-3	1-2-1	+ -
Backstrom missed the last game with an illness, and it is uncertain if he will partake in Thursday's battle with the Penguins.
T.J. Oshie (RW)	Out indefinitely	Personal - 23 / 01 / 23	1-3	1-2-1	+ -
Oshie is away from the team for the birth of his child, and there is no timetable for return.
Nic Dowd (C)	Mid Feb	Lower Body - 16 / 01 / 23	3-5	2-4-2	+ -
Dowd has landed on the injured reserve list with a lower-body injury, and he is not expected to return before the middle of February.
Nic Dowd (C)	Prob Fri	Personal - 05 / 01 / 23	4-9	5-6-2	+ -
Dowd has been away from the team for the birth of his child, but he is expected to return against the Predators on Friday.
John Carlson (D)	Late Feb	Face - 23 / 12 / 22	7-11	7-9-2	+ -
Carlson is on the long-term injured reserve list due to a facial injury, and he will not return to the lineup until at least the end of February.
Nic Dowd (C)	Ques Thurs	Illness - 21 / 12 / 22	7-12	8-9-2	+ -
Dowd is ailing from an illness, and it remains to be seen if he will line up for Thursday's battle with the Senators.
Nic Dowd (C)	Ques Mon	Lower Body - 17 / 12 / 22	8-13	9-10-2	+ -
Dowd sat out the last game with a lower-body ailment, and it remains to be seen if he will suit up for Monday's matchup with the Red Wings.
T.J. Oshie (RW)	Out indefinitely	Upper Body - 17 / 12 / 22	8-13	9-10-2	+ -
Oshie is out of the lineup with an upper-body injury, and he will miss an extended period.
Hunter Shepard (G)	Ques Mon	Upper Body - 17 / 12 / 22	8-13	9-10-2	+ -
Shepard missed the last game with an upper-body injury, and it is unclear if he will play Saturday versus the Red Wings.