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The Washington Capitals will attempt to take a 3-1 lead as they face the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 of their Best-of-7 First-Round Series on Sunday. The crowd at Centre Bell will be buzzing as we continue our Stanley Cup Odds series with a Capitals-Canadiens Game 4 prediction and pick.
The Canadiens defeated the Capitals 6-3 in Game 3 to snag a victory in this series and cut the deficit to 2-1. Early, the Caps scored with a goal from Connor McMichael. But Alexandre Carrier tied it up before the first intermission. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield each tallied goals in the second period to give the Canadiens a buffer. While Alexander Ovechkin tallied a goal in the third period, the Canadiens responded with more goals to put the game away.
Here are the Capitals-Canadiens Stanley Cup Playoffs odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds: Capitals-Canadiens Game 4 Odds
Washington Capitals: -1.5 (+198)
Moneyline: -120
Montreal Canadiens: +1.5 (-250)
Moneyline: +100
Over: 5.5 (-138)
Under: 5.5 (+112)
How To Watch Capitals vs. Canadiens Stanley Cup Playoffs
Time: 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT
TV: TBS, truTV, MAX, and CBC
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Capitals Will Cover the Spread/Win
The Capitals were outmatched in Game 3 and looked nothing like the team that had won the first two games. Even with Ovechkin scoring a goal, it just was not enough.
McMichael was efficient again, and Jakob Chychrun added a goal, too. Dylan Strome had an assist to help the cause. But the offense was not the biggest issue. Overall, they fired 21 shots on the net and won 46 percent of the faceoffs. They could not capitalize on their two special-teams chances. Significantly, they went 0 for 2 on the power play.
After Logan Thompson won Game 2, he was inconsistent in this game. Unfortunately, he allowed five goals and made 30 saves before exiting the game with a leg injury. Charles Lindgren came into the game cold and made four saves while allowing one goal. Also, the defense went 3 for 5 on the penalty kill, not being able to shut things down as they did in Game 2. The defense also finished with 26 hits and blocked 19 shots.
The Capitals will cover the spread if their offense can get buzzing and they can win more faceoffs. Then, their defense must avoid making critical mistakes and not allow the Canadiens to get too many chances.
Why the Canadiens Will Cover the Spread/Win
The Canadiens finally looked like the dangerous team that made it into the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the last wildcard team. Ultimately, they came out firing and were ready to go.
Caufield finished with one goal and one assist, while Suzuki added one. Likewise, Lane Hutson added an assist. Juraj Slafkovsky had a goal, while Alex Newhook had one, too.
The offense fired 40 shots on the net. Additionally, they won 54 percent of the faceoffs while also going 2 for 5 on the power play. Their offense finally showcased what they were capable of doing, exploiting weaknesses at every angle.
Sam Montembeault left Game 3 with an injury and made just 12 saves before his departure. Jakub Dobes came in and made seven saves while allowing one goal. If Montembeault cannot play in Game 3, Dobes will get the start, and that could be a very difficult situation for the Habs. Thus, they might need more from the defense. The defense killed both penalties in Game 3 and also leveled 45 hits while blocking 11 shots.
The Canadiens will cover the spread if their offense can continue getting to the loose pucks to set themselves up for good scoring chances. Then, they must defend the crease, especially if Dobes is forced to start, taking away golden shooting lanes from Ovechkin and the rest of the high-powered offense.
Final Capitals-Canadiens Game 4 Prediction & Pick
Teams that held a 2-1 lead in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs went 2-1 when playing Game 4 on the road. Notably, the Caps last held a 2-1 lead with Game 4 on the road in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and lost that game on the road to the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canadiens last trailed 2-1 in a series in the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and would beat the Boston Bruins in Game 4 to even the series.
The Capitals had the lead early in Game 3, but could not do much else with it. Likewise, they were awful on the defensive end and could not stop the Habs. I think we will see something similar, as the Canadiens have the momentum and the crowd behind them. Keep an eye on Montembeault's status. If he does not play, the Caps may have the advantage. I am assuming he will be ready.
Final Capitals-Canadiens Game 4 Prediction & Pick: Montreal Canadiens: +1.5 (-250)
