The Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals open their regular seasons Tuesday at Capital One Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (TNT). Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook’s lines around the Bruins vs. Capitals, and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
The Bruins won 2 of the 3 regular-season meetings last season, with Boston going 1-1 in the nation’s capital. The Over went 2-0-1 in the 3 meetings overall, with Boston outscoring Washington 13-10.
The Capitals head into the season with some injury concerns, as C Nick Backstrom is sidelined until at least January due to a hip injury, RW Tom Wilson will be sidelined until mid-December recovering from knee surgery and LW Carl Hagelin is out indefinitely due to an eye issue and hip surgery.
RW T.J. Oshie is nursing an upper-body injury and is a question mark for Wednesday, too.
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Bruins at Capitals odds
Provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 5:15 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Bruins +120 (bet $100 to win $120) | Capitals -145 (bet $145 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Bruins +1.5 (-210) | Capitals -1.5 (+160)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: +105 | U: -130)
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Bruins at Capitals projected goalies
Jeremy Swayman (23-14-3, 2.41 GAA, .914 SV%, 3 SO in 2021-22) vs. Darcy Kuemper (37-12-4, 2.54 GAA, .921 SV%, 5 SO in 2021-22 w/ Colorado)
The Alaska native Swayman was much more impressive on the road last season than at home. He posted a 13-6-2 record. 2.08 GAA and .926 SV% with all 3 of his SO on the road in 21 starts.
Kuemper etched his name on Lord Stanley’s Cup in Colorado, then signed a lucrative 5-year deal with the Caps. He went 1-1-0 with a 3.97 GAA and .896 SV% in 2 starts against the B’s last season as a member of the Avalanche.
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Bruins at Capitals picks and predictions
Prediction
Bruins 3, Capitals 2
Moneyline
BRUINS (+120) are a strong play on the road behind Swayman, especially since the Capitals have plenty of key parts nursing injuries that are likely to be watching from the press box.
The B’s have won 6 of the past 7 meetings in this series, although Boston is just 6-13 in the past 19 meetings in Washington. Still, Boston is the healthier team, and it should get it done on the road.
Puck line/Against the spread
Bruins +1.5 (-210) will cost you more than 2 times your potential return, and that’s just too expensive any time, but especially in the first game of the season.
AVOID.
Over/Under
The UNDER 6.5 (-130) is the lean in these early-season games, as the goaltenders tend to be a little ahead of the offense in the first month.
In addition, Swayman will face a little less firepower from the Caps than usual, as Backstrom, Hagelin and Wilson will be sidelined, and Oshie could be out, too.
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