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The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers enter this game on separate trajectories in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals are on a three-game win streak after losing the season's first game, while the Flyers won their first game and have now lost four straight. The Capitals won the season series 2-1 last season, with their only loss coming in a shootout. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a Capitals-Flyers prediction and pick.
Here are the Capitals-Flyers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Capitals-Flyers Odds
Washington Capitals: +1.5 (-260)
Moneyline: +100
Philadelphia Flyers: -1.5 (+210)
Moneyline: -120
Over: 6.0 (+105)
Under: 6.0 (-125)
How To Watch Capitals vs. Flyers
Time: 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT
TV: ESPN, Sportsnet
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Capitals Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Capitals didn't improve too much after last season's lucky trip to the postseason. It would have been no surprise if Charlie Lindgren came into this season and wasn't the answer in goal, leading to a freefall down the standings. It looked like that could be true in the season's first game when Lindgren allowed four goals on 32 shots, but he and Logan Thompson have been doing enough to emerge victorious. Thompson didn't have his best effort against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, but the offense persevered for a 6-5 overtime victory.
Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson have been leading the offense. Strome has seven points in four games, which isn't surprising, but Wilson's five goals in four games are better than his previous season's form. Wilson has been having so much success that his name is beginning to get brought up in conversations as a possible Team Canada roster selection. The possibility of Wilson being with Canada to start this season was nearly non-existent.
The question is whether the Capitals can maintain this pace. Strome is unlikely to play at a 1.75 points-per-game average for the rest of the season, and Wilson isn't going to score over a goal-per-game. They'll need others to step up, including Alex Ovechkin, who has just one goal in his first four games. Pierre-Luc Dubois' production has also been lacking, as he has just two assists. Dubois could take some time to get comfortable, but his past difficulties with joining new teams must concern the Capitals.
Why the Flyers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Flyers' goaltending situation has been bad, but the Capitals' hasn't been much better. Lindgren will likely start this game, and he has a 3.06 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. The Capitals' offense could plummet at any time, and if they do in this game, the Flyers should be able to put enough past Lindgren to secure a victory.
Final Capitals-Flyers Prediction & Pick
The Flyers haven't been able to stop anyone in their first five games. They allow 4.20 goals per game, which could pose a problem against a red-hot Capitals offense. The Capitals' offense may not be sustainable for the rest of the season, but we can try to ride the wave before it ends. Samuel Ersson's numbers have been acceptable, but Ivan Fedotov has a 6.09 goals-against average and a .818 save percentage. Ersson likely gets the start in this game, which should lead to plenty of goals.
The Capitals goaltenders have been doing enough to get by. Still, they each have a goals-against average over 3.00 and a save percentage below .900. Philadelphia's offense has been abysmal. We hope they can contribute a couple of goals in this game, with Washington contributing the rest.
Final Capitals-Flyers Prediction & Pick: Over 6.0 (+105)
