NHL Best Bets: Capitals vs. Avalanche Game Picks

After a slow start to the season, the Colorado Avalanche are getting healthier and are streaking heading into this contest with the Washington Capitals.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Washington Capitals (+120) vs. Colorado Avalanche (-144) Total: 6 (O-106, U-114)

It was only a matter of time before the defending Stanley Cup champs found their rhythm and started to put together a solid stretch of consistent play. Getting some of their key bodies back in their forward core has undoubtedly helped speed up the process, and the team has now won five straight games and posted a 6-4 record over their past ten. The Capitals haven’t been as successful over that time and posted a 4-5-1 record while still occupying the top wild-card position in the Eastern Conference. 

The Avalanche have some games in hand, but they still find themselves outside the playoff picture looking in, albeit by just two points. This will be the second regular-season meeting between these two clubs, with the first meeting seeing the Avalanche dominate the Caps on the road by a score of 4-0.  

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup tonight, the visiting Capitals are expected to continue riding Darcy Kuemper, while the Avalanche should do the same with Alexandar Georgiev. The former Avalanche goalie that led them to a Stanley Cup last year has found a new home in Washington and posted a 14-12-4 record, paired with a .917 save percentage. Georgiev has also looked solid in his first season with the Avalanche, posting an 18-11-3 record, along with a steady .917 save percentage. 

With the recent stretch of outstanding play from the Avalanche, it’s difficult to look anywhere else in this matchup. The Capitals are a solid story this year amidst injuries as well, but the Avalanche are the much more talented roster, and that should again show up in the results here. Siding with the home side on the moneyline at -144 has some value that should be considered. 

Best Bet: Avalanche moneyline (-144)

The Avs held the Caps off the scoreboard in the first matchup, and the game finished with just four total goals. The expectation is similar when you look towards the total set at six, with the over priced at -106 and the under coming in at -114. The Capitals have seen six or more goals scored in three of their past five games, while the Avalanche have seen that transpire in two of their previous five. Both teams currently sit in the top ten in the NHL in goals allowed per game, which should factor into another low-scoring environment in the Mile High City. 

Best Bet: Under 6 (-114) 

We already mentioned that due to injuries, the Avalanche haven’t been able to fully perform up to expectations. Still, those trends have undoubtedly changed over their most recent stretch of hot play. After missing a big chunk of time to injury, Nathan MacKinnon is back and red-hot in the Avs lineup, having compiled 51 points in just 34 games. The goal scoring hasn’t necessarily been that at the highest clip just yet, but he’s playing some solid hockey at the moment, and there’s value in backing his prop to score tonight at +108. 

Best Prop: Nathan MacKinnon to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+108)

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