The playoff series all hockey fans will be stoked to see kicks off tonight when the Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of the second round. The Penguins toppled the Flyers in the first round and were excellent on the road, winning three games in Philly, including the series clincher in Game 6. Pittsburgh has won four of its last six games in Washington and opened as a slight dog to escape with the W.
Despite their scoring dominance in the first round (4.66 goals per game), the Penguins will be without some key players tonight with Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin sitting out due to injury. Malkin will be sorely missed as he notched three goals and two assists in five games vs Philly and was a beast all season with 42 goals and 98 points. A strong authority in net could help offset their absences and goaltender Matt Murray has been stout between the pipes with a 2.16 goals-against average and two shutouts in the playoffs. The Penguins have won five straight road games.
As for Washington, this is a legacy series for the Capitals, who are looking to finally break through to an Eastern Conference final and overcome the Penguins. The Caps were stunned by the Blue Jackets in the first round, dropping the first two games of the series before roaring back with four straight wins. Alex Ovechkin was electric in Game 6, scoring two goals, while goaltender Braden Holtby took the job back from Philipp Grubauer and shut the door on the upstart Blue Jackets. However, the one trend that doesn’t bode well for Washington tonight is the favored team is 1-5 SU in the last six games in this matchup.
The total opened at 6 and recent history has not gone well for OVER bettors when the Caps and Pens face off. The total has gone UNDER in four of the last five games in this matchup with an average combined score of 5.4 goals per game.
Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick
Sportsbooks such as Sportsbook had the Washington Capitals as -137 favorites earlier today. The OVER/UNDER opened at 6 at Sportsbook for betting fans hoping to turn a profit on totals.
OddsShark computer prediction formulas pick a 3.6-2.2 win for the Penguins on Thursday. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming NHL matchups here.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals Matchup
Team Betting Records & Power Rankings
The Pittsburgh Penguins will look to vanquish their hosts on Thursday, as they are 51-31-6 this season, while the Capitals are 53-26-9. Pittsburgh is 49-34-5 against the total, while Washington is 50-36-2 versus the number. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Washington vs Pittsburgh injuries news.
The NHL Power Rankings show the Capitals rated this week at No. 7 and the Penguins sitting at No. 5.
Statistical Matchup
The game also pits Washington's No. 9-ranked offense, averaging 3.22 goals per game, against a Penguins defense that ranks No. 17 at 3.01 goals allowed. The Capitals power play is averaging 23.7% while the Penguins defense kills off 80.77% of their penalties.
Recent Outings Betting Recap
Pittsburgh was an 8-5 Sportsbook in its last match on the road against the Flyers. They won as -161 underdogs, while the total score of 13 made Sportsbooks of OVER bettors.
The Capitals were a 6-3 Sportsbook in their most recent outing on the road against the Blue Jackets. That made Sportsbooks of bettors who got Washington at +103 on the moneyline, while the total score (9) was good news for OVER bettors.
Next Betting Matchups
Pittsburgh at Washington, Sunday, April 29