The Washington Capitals and New York Rangers will play a rare back-to-back when they face off on Sunday afternoon. The teams played 24 hours earlier in Washington, with the Capitals escaping with a 3-2 victory. Jonathan Quick and Charlie Lindgren had the starts on Saturday, with Igor Shesterkin and Darcy Kuemper slated to get the nods on Sunday. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Capitals-Rangers prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.

The Capitals are a team hurting their playoff chances in the Metropolitan Division. They were overperforming at the beginning of the season, but a 3-5-2 run over their last ten games has sent them down the standings. The return of Charlie Lindgren will help their chances, but the offense is where the team is struggling. Their offensive struggles took another hit when Alex Ovechkin was ruled out of Saturday's game with a lower-body issue. His chances of making the trip to New York for Sunday's game are unlikely. The Capitals were able to steal a win from the Rangers on Saturday, but taking two in a row will be difficult.

With the loss to Washington on Saturday, the Rangers lost their fourth straight game. The Rangers are trending down, letting the teams behind them in the standings close the gap on first in the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers lost five of seven games, with Shesterkin allowing an uncharacteristic 16 goals in his last four games. It won't get any easier for the Rangers, as they will have one more game at home against Seattle before going out west to face Vegas and Los Angeles.

Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NHL Odds: Capitals-Rangers Odds

Washington Capitals: +1.5 (-137)

Moneyline: (+180)

New York Rangers: -1.5 (+114)

Moneyline: (-220)

Over: 6.5 (+110)

Under: 6.5 (-134)

How to Watch Capitals vs. Rangers

Time: 1 PM ET/10 AM PT

TV: MSG, NHL Network

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Capitals Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Capitals are 2-1 against the Rangers this season, boasting two wins at home. However, they entered Madison Square Garden on December 27th and were beaten 5-1. The Capitals showed they match up well against the Rangers and were able to win both games in different ways. Charlie Lindgren missed some time with an injury, so it's unlikely that he will play in back-to-back games. However, if he does make the start, he allowed two goals total in two games against the Rangers this season.

The Rangers are in the worst form of the season after getting out to a big lead in the division. Since the win over Washington on December 27th, the Rangers are 2-5-1. Now would be a good time for the Capitals to jump on the Rangers, gain four points on them, and get back into the Metropolitan Division playoff race.

Why The Rangers Will Cover The Spread/Win

The Rangers are motivated to get things back on track on Sunday. They need to look no further than their defeat at the hands of the Capitals on Saturday, as losing two straight to the same team will be a dagger to their confidence. They built a good lead in the Metropolitan Division, but their recent five losses in seven games closed the gap. With a win on Saturday night, the Hurricanes will be a point behind the Rangers for first place. If that happens, the Rangers will be even more determined to get two points.

Igor Shesterkin also needs to get back on track. He has a 16-10-0 record this season with a .901 save percentage. His backup, Jonathan Quick, has a better winning and save percentage. Shesterkin isn't in danger of losing his job by any means, but it's terrible for a team's psyche when their starting goaltender is struggling.

This game is set up for a Rangers bounceback. If Lindgren doesn't start in back-to-back games, the Rangers will face Darcy Kuemper and his 10-10-2 record and .891 save percentage. A change to Kuemper will be welcomed by the Blueshirts, with Lindgren shutting them down in two consecutive starts.

Final Capitals-Rangers Prediction & Pick

This will be the perfect get-right spot for the Rangers. The Capitals will feel good after winning the first leg of the home-and-home in Washington. They likely will send Darcy Kuemper to the net while the Rangers have their No.1, Igor Shesterkin, fresh for Sunday's game. Washington persevered with Alex Ovechkin unavailable, but the Rangers' depth may be a lot to overcome for two straight days without their captain. The Rangers should bounce back and win this game while covering the -1.5 spread.

Final Capitals-Rangers Prediction & Pick: Rangers -1.5 (+122)