The Washington Capitals’ ability to bounce back from a rough game is one of the reasons why they’re challenging for top spot in the NHL – and they’ll look to keep that trend going Monday night as they host the New York Islanders. The Capitals are reeling from a 7-2 home rout at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers – just the ninth time this year they’ve lost by multiple goals.
- Date/Time: February 10, 7 p.m. ET
- Arena: Capital One Arena
- TV Coverage: NBCSWA, MSG+
- Sportsbook Odds: Capitals -175 / O/U 6
- Islanders vs Capitals Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Capitals opened as -175 home favorites, and can be found anywhere from -170 to -185 depending on the book. The total is holding steady at 6, with EVEN odds split between the OVER and UNDER plays.
New York News & Notes
It might not yet be time for the Islanders to panic, but the clock is ticking on their Eastern Conference playoff hopes if they don’t get things turned around. The Islanders have gone a dismal 8-8-4 since Sportsbook the season with a blistering 23-8-2 record, and haven’t won three consecutive games since a three-game streak in mid-December.
On the positive side of the ledger, New York is showing signs of life on offense, Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay aside. The Islanders went into the weekend averaging four goals over their previous four games, a significant step up for a team that enters the new week ranked 27th in the NHL in goals per game (2.69).
Washington News & Notes
Having a short memory is pivotal to success in today’s NHL – and few teams do it better than the Capitals, who are a sensational 6-1-1 this season following a defeat of two or more goals.
It is worth noting, however, that Washington’s only regulation loss over that stretch came against these very same Islanders, who beat the Capitals 4-3 back on New Year’s Eve.
Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin remains two goals shy of 700 for his career after being held off the scoresheet against the Flyers – and conditions are favorable for him Monday night. Ovechkin has scored 39 goals in 57 career games against the Isles, including three goals in three head-to-head meetings so far this season.
Betting Pick: Capitals -1.5
The Capitals just don’t play two bad games in a row – and when you factor in home-ice advantage and a meeting with an underperforming Islanders team, we love the puckline play here.
- New York is 2-4 SU in its last 6 road games.
- Washington is 6-3 SU in its last 9 games.
- The OVER is 4-1 in Washington’s last 5 games.
