NHL Best Bets: Blues vs. Capitals Game Picks

Two teams on track to miss the playoffs who had expectations of getting to the dance will collide, with the St. Louis Blues taking on the Washington Capitals.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

The Capitals and Blues are two teams that had playoff aspirations entering the season, but nothing has really gone as planned, and they’ve ultimately struggled to pick up results. Both teams sold off pieces at the NHL trade deadline, and they’ve been tailing off since. The Capitals are listed as home favorites on the moneyline at -162, while the Blues are priced at +134. 

This will be the second meeting between these clubs, which initially saw the Blues pick up a 5-4 victory. Entering this contest, the Blues have posted a 3-5-2 record over their past ten games, while the Caps are sitting at 5-4-1 over that same sample size. There might not be a lot of intrigue surrounding this contest, but there’s certainly some value. 

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup tonight, the visiting Blues are expected to start Thomas Greiss in net, while the Capitals should be countering with Darcy Kuemper. The Blues backup netminder has posted a 7-9 record, paired with a .900 save percentage. Kuemper is sitting with a 20-21-5 record, along with a .912 save percentage. Washington should have a slight edge in goal tonight, but there’s also more talent on this Blues roster. 

The Capitals and Blues are two teams that certainly underachieved this season, even if injuries played a factor. They likely won’t be stripping things down and going for a complete rebuild, which should make for an interesting off-season. Still, we like the pieces in St. Louis more, meaning we’ll be happy to side with their plus-money price tag. 

Best Bet: Blues moneyline (+134) 

The opening matchup between these teams saw nine goals scored, while tonight’s total is 6.5, with the over and under both sitting at -110. The Capitals have been the more consistent team overall, but the Blues have some under-the-radar offensive talent that can beat you on any given slate. Over the Blues’ past five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored four times, while the Capitals have seen that transpire twice. It doesn’t appear that defense will play a significant role in this matchup, meaning there’s some value in backing the over 6.5 tonight at -110. 

Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-110) 

Goal scoring wasn’t a problem in the earlier matchup when these teams faced off, and we don’t expect it to be one when they collide again tonight. These teams have both underachieved offensively, but one player on the Blues that’s really stood out when he’s been in the lineup has been Pavel Buchnevich. He’s tallied five goals and four assists over the Blues’ past five games to lead the club, in addition to 61 points in 52 games on the campaign. Buchnevich has emerged as a star talent in St. Louis, and there’s a ton of value in backing him to score tonight at +220. 

Best Prop: Pavel Buchnevich to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+220)

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