Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Sunday’s Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins NHL betting odds and lines, with hockey picks, tips and predictions.

The Washington Capitals (2-0-0) and Pittsburgh Penguins (0-2-0) open a two-game set Sunday afternoon with a noon ET puck drop at PPG Paints Arena. Below, we analyze the Capitals-Penguins NHL betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

Capitals at Penguins: Betting odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:25 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Capitals +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Penguins -125 (bet $125 to win $100)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Capitals +1.5 (-250) | Penguins -1.5 (+200)
  • Over/Under: 6 (O: +100 | U: -120)

Capitals at Penguins: Projected starting goalies

Ilya Samsonov (1-0, .846 SV%, 4.00 GAA) vs. Casey DeSmith (0-0, .923 SV%, 1.26 GAA)

Samsonov stopped 22 of 26 pucks in his 2021 debut Thursday at the Buffalo Sabres. The second-year NHL netminder faced the Pens once last season and allowed four goals (all even-strength) on 33 shots.

DeSmith closed out Friday’s 5-2 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers after starting G Tristan Jarry was lifted after allowing three goals in 11 minutes. The relief stint marked the 29-year-old’s first NHL action since 2019. DeSmith owns a .917 SV in 51 career games.

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Capitals at Penguins: Odds, betting lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Penguins 4,  Capitals 3

Money line (ML)

Play to some gravity here, taking the quality 0-2 team against the quality 2-0 team. Shot and puck-possession analytics indicate the Caps are a bit too far out over their skis and the Pens are at the other end of the luck spectrum.

Last season, Pittsburgh had four home games on the heels of consecutive losses. The Penguins went 4-0 in those contests, posting a goal differential of plus-15 along the way.

BACK THE PENGUINS (-125).

Against the spread (ATS)

Consider adding a PENGUINS -1.5 (+200) puck-line play as a partial-unit rider alongside a full-unit money-line wager. This tag has swung toward Pittsburgh by 30 cents overnight. Perhaps wait out a possible move to a better price or just stick with the ML play.

Over/Under (O/U)

Peg a slight lean on the OVER 6.5 (+100), but a PASS is recommended.

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