It's a five-game slate on the NHL betting board Tuesday night, including a tilt between the rival Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins.
These teams meet for the fourth time this season and second time in three days, and it's been a one-sided affair so far, with the Penguins going a perfect 3-0 in the head-to-head showing.
Can Washington finally solve Pittsburgh? Find out more in our best Capitals vs. Penguins picks and predictions for Tuesday, February 16, with the puck dropping at 7 p.m. ET.
Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins betting preview
Injuries
Capitals: Brian Pinho C (Out).
Penguins: Casey DeSmith G (Questionable), Brian Dumoulin D (Out), Jared McCann LW (Out), Marcus Pettersson D (Out), Evan Rodrigues LW (Out), Juuso Riikola D (Out), Zach Trotman D (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Over is 5-1 in Washington's last six games. Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Penguins.
NHL sharp money and line movement report
By Patrick EversonPittsburgh opened a -126 favorite Monday night at FanDuel and is up a few cents to -134 as of 2:30 p.m. ET. However, it's two-way moneyline action early, with the Penguins taking 52 percent of bets and the Capitals landing 55 percent of money. The total opened 6.5 with a notable tilt toward the Over, priced at -135, and that price is down a nickel to -130. Still, the Over is attracting 71 percent of bets and 74 percent of money.
Check out the full line movement for this gameMoneyline pick
The Penguins showed the Capitals no love on Valentine's Day, clobbering them in a 6-3 victory that sent Washington to its fourth consecutive loss. Pittsburgh has enjoyed feasting on its division rival this season, going 3-0 versus the Capitals and 4-6 against everyone else.
Both teams come in with 15 points after 13 games, with the Pens taking a five-game home winning streak into the contest. They're a perfect 5-0 at PPG Paints Arena, but the Capitals are bound to snap out of this funk, and at +105 they offer some decent value.
The Penguins, as much as they've dominated the win column in the head-to-head this season, actually present Washington with a good matchup to get back on track. Washington still has a great offense - led by veterans Alex Ovechkin (13 points) and Nicklas Backstrom (18 points) - and the Penguins are shaky in net, making them susceptible to high-scoring games.
Look for Washington to come out hungry and exact revenge against a team that has been its kryptonite all too often throughout the Sidney Crosby-Oveckin era.
PREDICTION: Capitals (+105)
Over/Under pick
If the Capitals are going to win, they aren't going to do it with their defense. Only the lowly Ottawa Senators are allowing more goals per game than Washington's 3.77. The Capitals are accustomed to slugfests, averaging 3.54 goals per game (fifth-best in the league), and they face a Penguins team that's allowing 3.62 per contest - the fourth-worst mark in the NHL.
The Capitals are 10-3 O/U on the season, while the Penguins are 9-4. In the previous three games these two teams have played this season, they've combined for seven, nine, and nine goals, and the Over is 7-0 in their last seven meetings. There's no reason to believe this game is going to be any different.
Washington ranks second in the NHL in shooting percentage and is likely to face Penguins netminder Tristan Jarry, who allows 3.82 goals per game and has a weak .864 SV%. For a team that shoots as well as the Capitals, they should be able to get to Jarry often.
Look for the Capitals to capitalize on the man advantage if given the opportunity - they are the top power-play team in the NHL and Pittsburgh has one of the worst penalty-killing units in the league. These potential power-play opportunities should help drive up the score, as Ovechkin and Caps blueliner John Carlson remain major threats to bury, and overall Washington is converting on 35.4 percent of its chances on the PP.
Expect another high-scoring battle and run with the Over any time these two teams meet until they give us reason to act otherwise.
PREDICTION: Over 6.5 (-120)
Capitals vs Penguins betting card
- Capitals (+105)
- Over 6.5 (-120)
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