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Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals begin their playoff run as they host the Montreal Canadiens. It's time to continue our Stanley Cup Playoffs odds series with a Canadiens-Capitals Game 1 prediction and pick.
The Canadiens went 40-31-11 this year, which placed them in fifth in the Atlantic Division. Still, they were able to hold on and secure the second wild card spot. After winning six games in a row, Montreal dropped three straight and needed a win in their last game of the regular season to make the playoffs. The Canadiens secured a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-2 win over the Hurricanes.
Meanwhile, the Capitals were 51-22-9 on the year, which gave them the best record in the Eastern Conference. While not playing for much down the stretch run, the Capitals did see Alex Ovechkin tie another record in the final game of the season, as he scored his 44th goal of the year in a 5-2 loss to the Penguins.
In the regular season, the Capitals won two of the three games with the Canadiens, with the only loss being in overtime mid-January.
Here are the Canadiens-Capitals Stanley Cup Playoffs odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds: Canadiens-Capitals Game 1 Odds
Montreal Canadiens: +1.5 (-172)
Moneyline: +152
Washington Capitals: -1.5 (+140)
Moneyline: -184
Over: 5.5 (-128)
Under: 5.5 (+104)
How To Watch Canadiens vs. Capitals Stanley Cup Playoffs
Time: 7:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM PT
TV: ESPN
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Canadiens Will Cover the Spread/Win
The combination of Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield leads the top line for the Canadiens. Suzuki leads the team in points, and comes in with 30 goals and 58 assists this year, good for 89 points this year. Caufield leads the team in goals this year, coming in with 37 goals and 33 assists on the year, good for 70 total points. The line is rounded out by Juarj Slafkovsky. Slafkovsky comes in with 18 goals and 33 assists, sitting fourth on the team in points.
The Canadiens also get plenty of production from the blue line. Lane Hutson is third on the team in points, coming into the game with six goals and 60 assists this year. Meanwhile, Mike Matheson is ninth on the team in points, coming in with six goals and 25 assists this year. Finally, Brendan Gallagher has been solid from the second line, coming into the game with 21 goals and 17 assists this year.
Sam Montembeault comes in at 31-24-7 on the year with a 2.82 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. Montembealt has been solid as of late. He is 5-1-1 in his last seven starts with a 2.12 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage.
Why the Capitals Will Cover the Spread/Win
The top line for the Capitals is led by Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin leads the team in goals, coming in with 44 goals and 29 assists this year, sitting second on the team in points this year. Ovechkin has 14 goals and eight assists this year on the power play. Dylan Strome joins Ovechkin on the top line. Strome leads the team in assists and points, coming in with 29 goals and 53 assists. He also has nine goals and 25 assists on the power play. The line is rounded out by Anthony Beauvillier. Beauvillier has two goals and three assists in his 18 games with the Capitals.
The second line is led by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor McMichael. Dubois is fourth on the team in points this year, coming in with 20 goals and 46 assists this year, good for 66 points. McMichael comes in with 26 goals and 31 assists this year, sitting sixth on the team in points this year. The line is rounded out by Tom Wilson. Wilson comes into the game with 33 goals and 32 assists, sitting fifth on the team in points this year.
Charlie Lindgren is expected to be in the goal for the Capitals in this one. He is 20-14-3 on the year with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .896 save percentage. He is 3-2-0 in his last five starts and has given up three or fewer goals in two of the five games.
Final Canadiens-Capitals Prediction & Pick
The Capitals come into this Stanley Cup Playoffs game one against the Canadiens as favorites in terms of odds. The Canadiens have won seven of their last ten games. In that time, they have played great defense, allowing just 21 goals. Meanwhile, the Capitals have just four wins in their last ten games and have struggled on defense overall. They have allowed 44 goals in their last ten games. The Capitals have been the better team, but with Logan Thompson and Aleksai Protas still out of the lineup, they will have some trouble with this pesky Canadiens squad. Take the Canadiens to cover in this one.
Final Canadiens-Capitals Prediction & Pick: Canadiens +1.5 (-172)
