Senators vs Capitals Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight’s NHL Game
Free NHL Expert and Computer Picks For Every Game March 18, 2026
Dougie Hamilton ranks 5th among NHL defensemen in shots on goal and has cleared 2.5 shots in 58% of his appearances. That jumps to 68% against Bottom-16 shot-suppression teams vs. defensemen and 72% against those in the Bottom-10, such as the Rangers.
Skinner is going to be busy tonight. The Hurricanes tilt the ice in their favor at home with a league-leading 60.4 Corsi For percentage at five-on-five while averaging a monster 32.3 shots per game. So, with Skinner settling in with a respectable .903 save percentage with 15.94 goals saved above expected across his past 15 starts, I expect him to turn away 27 or more shots tonight.
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The Senators are putting together a postseason push with an active 11-2-2 record while ranking fourth in Corsi For percentage and second in expected goals percentage at 5-on-5. It’s a different story for the Capitals, with respective ranks of 25th and 20th during the same stretch.
Gridin is finding his NHL footing and has marked the scoresheet in four of his past six games while seeing increased offensive opportunities. The Russian cracked the CHL All-Rookie Team last year while averaging 1.41 points per game in the QMJHL, and he followed it up with 30 points across 37 AHL games this season before being promoted to the highest level. St. Louis has surrendered a healthy 3.39 goals per road game, too.
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