The New Jersey Devils still have a chance at the top spot in their division, but first, they must defeat the Washington Capitals. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Devils-Capitals prediction, pick, and how to watch.
The last time out the Capitals fell victim to the Bruins in their pursuit of the NHL record for the most points in a regular season. That gave the Caps their tenth loss in their last 12 outings, as they have been giving up goals in bunches, and struggled to score. The Devils still have a chance to avoid the Rangers in the first round with a win and a Carolina loss. With that, they will pass Carolina and secure the top spot in the Metropolitan division.
Here are the Devils-Capitals NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Devils-Capitals Odds
New Jersey Devils: -1.5 (+125)
Washington Capitals: +1.5 (-150)
Over: 6.5 (-114)
Under: 6.5 (-106)
How To Watch Devils vs. Capitals
TV: NBCSWA/MSGSN
Stream: NHLPP/ESPN+
Time: 7:00 PM ET/ 4:00 PM PT
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Devils Could Cover The Spread
The Devils come in off a big win over Buffalo in which Tomas Tatar scored twice, and trade deadline acquisition Timo Meier added an assist. The game also saw their goalie Vitek Vanecek save 94.7% of the shots he faced and give the Devils a 6-2 victory. That was their sixth win in their last eight games, but while they got the win, it showed that they still have work to do if they want to win the Cup.
First, they must face Washington, and to do that, it is a simple formula. First, the focus needs to be on Jack Hughes. Hughes sits three points shy of the 100 points marker on the season, and in his three games against the Caps this year, he has three goals. His production has been amazing as of late. In the six games of April, he has recorded a point in all six of them, with three goals and seven assists. When he scored a goal, it normally means good things for New Jersey. The Devils are 12-3-1 since January 1st when Hughes scored.
Hughes is not the only one playing great. Nico Hischier has added eight points to his total in April alone, with one goal and seven assists. He has points in 12 of the last 14 games and seems primed for the playoffs. Also primed for the playoffs is Vitek Vanecek. In his last five games, he has let in two or fewer goals in four of them. Those four all resulted in the Devils' wins. The Devils want this win to get the division crown, and those three can lead them to it.
Why The Capitals Could Cover The Spread
The Capitals have completely fallen apart. they have had a Corsi percentage over 50% just once in their last six games. This means that the other team is controlling the ice, the puck, and the majority of scoring chances. that is also shown by the shot numbers. They have given up 30 or more shots in each of their last six games, and have not led the game in shots in their last 11. In their last 8 games, the goal-scoring has been horrid. They have only been over three goals one time and be at two or under six times. There is nothing positive going on with how Washington is playing.
Still, when you have Alex Ovechkin you have a chance. He leads the team in goals with 42, tied for 9th in the NHL. He has also added 32 assists on the season. Ovi is currently considered day-to-day though and has not played in the Cap's last three games. Replacing him is difficult, but in their latest win against the Islanders, it was Dylan Strome to do that. Strome has a point in every game in April so far. He has scored a goal in four of the five games and has two assists on the month. He is potentially a cornerstone of the future and has been playing well as of late.
In the last game, Charlie Lindgren was pulled in the third period for an undisclosed reason. Kuemper came in and let in a goal on seven shots. Kuemper has just one win in his last six starts, and it took him saving 38 of 40 shots to get it. He did have another solid performance at the end of March, saving 28 of 29 but losing in a shootout. Lindgren has lost each of the last four starts he has made and has not made a start in which he let in less than three goals on February 26th. Whoever gets the nod in the net will need to be much better than they have been.
Final Devils-Capitals Prediction & Pick
The Devils still have a lot to play for and would love to avoid the Rangers in the first round. The Capitals seemingly have just given up. It is very likely that Ovi does not play, and at the end of his career come on a non-competitive team. New Jersey is very much on the upswing though, with a good young core that they can ride for years to come. In this one, the core will shine. Jack Hughes scores a goal, and the Devils play sound defense on the way to a win.
Final Devils-Capitals Prediction & Pick: Devils -1.5 (+125)
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