Capitals vs Flames Prediction, Picks & Same-Game Parlay for Tonight’s NHL Game

With Washington needing to shore up defensively and Calgary a strong first-period team at home, expect an early tone-setter to shape tonight’s game.

Neil Parker - Analyst at Covers.com
Neil Parker • Betting Analyst
Jan 23, 2026 • 10:26 ET • 3 min read

NHL

Match starts: 9 hrs
CAL
60 %
WAS
40 %
EXPERT PICK - TOTAL
u1.5 (+105)
Read Analysis
Yegor Sharangovich Calgary Flames NHL
Photo By - Reuters Connect. Calgary Flames center Yegor Sharangovich (17) skates with the puck.

The Calgary Flames will look to snap a two-game losing skid with the reeling Washington Capitals visiting the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday, January 23.

With Washington needing to tighten up defensively, and Calgary a stringy first-period team on home ice, my top NHL picks and Capitals vs. Flames predictions are calling for a low-scoring first 20 minutes tonight. 

Capitals vs Flames prediction

Capitals vs Flames best bet: First period Under 1.5 (+105)

The Calgary Flames have allowed the second-fewest goals per home game (2.42) while sporting the seventh-highest team save percentage at five-on-five.

Calgary has also been particularly strong defensively in the first period with just 12 goals allowed across 24 home games.

It’s been a huge reason the first-period Under has cashed in 16 of the last 25 games at the Saddledome dating back to last season.

I’m also expecting to see the Washington Capitals attempt to batten down the hatches tonight.

The Caps have allowed 17 goals during their four-game losing streak, so with the Flames scoring the eighth-fewest first period goals (0.76 per game), look for the first 20 minutes to fly by with limited high-danger scoring chances for either tonight.

Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account Add as a preferred source on Google

Capitals vs Flames same-game parlay

The Caps have allowed the third-most shots per game while ranking 28th in Corsi for percentage at 5-on-5 out of the holiday break, and wingers Yegor Sharangovich and Connor Zary have both been consistent shooters of late.

Sharangovich has two or more shots in each of his past four games for 11 total on 22 attempts, and Zary has at least a pair of shots in six of his past eight with a team-high 22 shots on 31 attempts.

Capitals vs Flames SGP

  • First period Under 1.5
  • Yegor Sharangovich Over 1.5 shots on goal
  • Connor Zary Over 1.5 shots on goal

Capitals vs Flames odds

  • Moneyline: Washington -135 | Calgary +110
  • Puck Line: Washington -1.5 (+180) | Calgary +1.5 (-220)
  • Over/Under: Over 6 (-110) | Under 6 (-110)

Capitals vs Flames trend

The first-period total has gone Under the number in 16 of the past 25 games at the Scotiabank Saddledome (+6.50 Units / 24% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Flames.

How to watch Capitals vs Flames

Location Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Date Friday, January 23, 2026
Puck drop 9:00 p.m. ET
TV SN1, MNMT

Capitals vs Flames latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

Pages related to this topic

Neil Parker - Covers
Betting Analyst

Neil Parker is, first and foremost, a sports fan. A huge supporter of the Cowboys, Cubs, and Maple Leafs, he has managed to parlay his passion into writing gigs at some of the top websites in the industry.

Neil takes a numbers-based approach to his handicapping and complements his in-depth statistical analysis with a keen eye on the markets to provide the best available odds. He loves to lean on his rolodex of idioms to offset his inner nerd. When it comes to wagering, he throws down on anything that catches his eye at bet365, Betway and BetVictor. He also keeps a close eye on CoolBet because the polar bear brand often has outlier NHL and NFL moneyline prices.

Neil graduated with honors from St. Thomas University in 2007 before completing his BEd at Acadia University in 2010. After teaching a myriad of courses and subjects, he found a groove delivering fun lessons to exceptional learners in non-traditional classroom environments. If his decade-plus teaching run taught him anything about sports betting, it’s to stay the course and use the summer – or offseason – to refresh and prepare to be better in the year to come.

Popular Content

Covers is verified safe by: Evalon Logo GPWA Logo GDPR Logo GeoTrust Logo Evalon Logo