Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Wednesday’s Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals odds and lines, with NHL expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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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Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins Game 3 odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Wednesday’s Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals Game 3 odds and lines, with hockey picks, tips and predictions.

The Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins play Game 3 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series Wednesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden. Below, we analyze the Capitals-Bruins odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.

The Capitals put up a good fight, but they were dropped 4-3 in overtime in Game 2 on home ice. Both games have ended up going to an extra session, so this series has had a razor-thin margin of error.

The Bruins bounced back in Game 2 with a 4-3 win in OT, as Brad Marchand won it just 39 seconds into the extra session to set a new franchise record for quickest overtime playoff goal.

Capitals at Bruins: Odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:30 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Capitals +135 (bet $100 to win $135) | Bruins -165 (bet $165 to win $100)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Capitals +1.5 (-185) | Bruins -1.5 (+150)
  • Over/Under: 5.5 (O: +100 | U: -120)

Capitals at Bruins: Projected starting goalies

Craig Anderson (2-1-0, 2.13 GAA, .915 SV%) vs. Tuukka Rask (15-5-2, 2.28 GAA, .913 SV%, 2 SO)

Anderson was tested early and often in Game 2, making 44 saves. That’s not bad for a 39-year-old that was expected to be the third-string goaltender. This will be his final start before he turns 40 Friday.

Rask allowed three goals on 39 shots, picking up the win after Nic Dowd beat him in overtime in Game 1 to saddle the veteran tendy with the loss. Rask was 7-2-1 with a 2.27 GAA and .908 SV% in 11 home starts in the regular season.

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Capitals at Bruins: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Bruins 4, Capitals 3

Money line (ML)

The BRUINS (-165) are moderate favorites at TD Garden in this pivotal Game 3, and they now enjoy home-ice advantage for the series after splitting in D.C. The B’s are 8-1 in the past nine at home, and 13-5 in their past 18 as a favorite.

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Against the spread (ATS)

The CAPITALS +1.5 (-185) are actually worth backing on the road. Both of the first two games in D.C. were decided in overtime. And Washington is 10-3 in their past 13 trips to Boston, so they usually play the B’s tough. The Caps are a little pricey, but they’re worth backing here.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 5.5 (+100) is worth a roll of the dice, and it’s a good value at even money. The Over is 4-1-2 in the past seven meetings in this series, including 1-0-1 in the first two installments.

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Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals Game 2 odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Monday’s Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals Game 1 odds and lines, with hockey picks, tips and predictions.

The Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals play Game 2 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series Monday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena. Below, we analyze the Bruins-Capitals odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.

The Bruins were tripped up 3-2 in overtime in the series opener as Capitals C Nic Dowd posted his first-career overtime playoff goal to give Washington a 1-0 series lead.

To make matters worse for Boston, D Jeremy Lauzon suffered a hand injury and is a question mark for Game 2, as are RW Ondrej Kase and D Jakub Zboril due to upper-body ailments.

The Capitals had injury issues of their own, however. G Vitek Vanecek suffered a lower-body issue in the first period and was replaced by the 39-year-old G Craig Anderson. The veteran was sharp in holding off the B’s.

Bruins at Capitals: Odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:55 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Bruins -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | Capitals +110 (bet $100 to win $110)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Bruins -1.5 (+195) | Capitals +1.5 (-250)
  • Over/Under: 5.5 (O: +120 | U: -145)

Bruins at Capitals: Projected starting goalies

Tuukka Rask (15-5-2, 2.28 GAA, .913 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Craig Anderson (2-1-0, 2.13 GAA, .915 SV%)

Rask made 29 saves and allowed three goals in the Game 1 loss. RW Tim Wilson, D Brenden Dillon and Dowd notched goals for the Caps, all of the even-strength variety.

Anderson did a decent job, allowing just one goal – a power-play score by LW Nick Ritchie – against 22 shots in relief. Boston went 1-for-4 on the power play in Game 1.

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Bruins at Capitals: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Bruins 4, Capitals 2

Money line (ML)

The BRUINS (-135) are a good bet to bounce back in Game 2, especially with Anderson in between the pipes for the Capitals. There is a reason he had become an afterthought behind Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov, as Anderson just isn’t very good in the twilight of his career.

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Against the spread (ATS)

The BRUINS -1.5 (+195) is an extremely good value, offering a chance to nearly double up.

Boston lost in overtime, as they weren’t ready for Anderson, and he came on in relief and did a great job. It’s not like the Bruins have never seen him before, as he was the backstop for years with the Ottawa Senators. However, they likely did all of their scouting on Vanecek. Anderson isn’t sneaking up on them in this one. Look for the B’s to grab the split.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 5.5 (+120) is plus-money in Game 2, and that’s a value play. Anderson won’t be nearly as effective, and the Caps showed they can get to Rask. Despite the Game 1 Under result, the Over is 3-1-1 across the past five head-to-head meetings in D.C.

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Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals Game 1 odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Saturday’s Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals Game 1 odds and lines, with hockey picks, tips and predictions.

The Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals play Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena. Below, we analyze the Bruins-Capitals odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.

The Bruins wrapped up the regular season with a 2-1 loss in Washington Tuesday, although they had zero to play for with their seeding already locked in. These teams split the regular-season series with four wins apiece, though two of Boston’s were decided beyond regulation.

The Capitals finished the regular season with a pair of 2-1 wins, and they won four of their past five outings while the Under cashed in each of their last three games.

Bruins at Capitals: Odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:15 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Bruins -130 (bet $130 to win $100) | Capitals +105 (bet $100 to win $105)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Bruins -1.5 (+200) | Capitals +1.5 (-250)
  • Over/Under: 5.5 (O: +105 | U: -125)

Bruins at Capitals: Projected starting goalies

Tuukka Rask (15-5-2, 2.28 GAA, .913 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Vitek Vanecek (21-10-4, 2.69 GAA, .908 SV%, 2 SO)

Rask finished the regular season with four victories across his final five starts. He went 1-0-2 with a 2.59 GAA and .905 SV% in three regular-season starts against the Capitals.

Vanecek is 3-1-0 with a 2.26 GAA and .910 SV% in May. The 25-year-old posted a 4-3-0 record with a 2.86 GAA and .905 SV% in seven regular-season starts against the Bruins this season.

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Bruins at Capitals: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Bruins 3, Capitals 2

Money line (ML)

The BRUINS (-130) are a sharp play in Game 1, even though it’s on the road. While the Capitals recently saw LW Alex Ovechkin return from a lower-body injury, they’re still without C Evgeny Kuznetsov and G Ilya Samsonov, and RW T.J. Oshie is also questionable due to a lower-body injury.

This will be the first time these teams have faced each other in the postseason since 2011-12 when Washington won Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal in overtime.

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Against the spread (ATS)

The Capitals +1.5 (-250) will cost you two and a half times your potential return if you want a little insurance on the home team. It’s just not worth it, nor is it a good idea to back the Bruins -1.5 (+200), as tempting as it might be to try and double up.

AVOID, and just stick with the money line.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 5.5 (-125) is the lean in Game 1, as these teams kick off what is likely to be a long series.

The Under cashed in four of the past five games on the road for the B’s, while the Under is 4-0 in the past four at home for the Caps.

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Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Tuesday’s Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals odds and lines, with hockey picks, tips and predictions.

The Boston Bruins (33-15-7) wrap up the regular season against the Washington Capitals (35-15-5) Tuesday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at Capital One Arena. Below, we analyze the Bruins-Capitals odds and lines, with NHL picks and predictions.

The Bruins picked up a 3-2 overtime win against the New York Islanders on Monday, and now they have the quick turnaround on the road against the Capitals.

As luck has it, these two teams will meet each other in the first round of the playoffs, too.

The Capitals earned a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime on Saturday in a well-played game with a pair of backup goaltenders.

Washington has had some COVID and injury issues lately, but they have still persevered with three wins in the past four outings.

Bruins at Capitals: Odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 4:25 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Bruins -105 (bet $105 to win $100) | Capitals -110 (bet $110 to win $100)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Bruins +1.5 (-275) | Capitals -1.5 (+220)
  • Over/Under: 6 (O: +100 | U: -120)

Bruins at Capitals: Projected starting goalies

Jeremy Swayman (7-2-0, 1.44 GAA, .946 SV%, 2 SO) vs. Vitek Vanecek (20-10-4, 2.74 GAA, .907 SV%, 2 SO)

Swayman stopped all 15 shots on goal in a 4-0 shutout win over the New York Rangers his last start in the crease (May 6).

The 22-year-old rookie netminder is 1-0 this season vs. the Capitals and saved 31 of 33 shots in Boston’s 4-2 win in Washington April 8.

Vanecek lost in regulation for the first time in five starts in a 4-2 loss to the Flyers on Friday.

Still, he has allowed three or fewer goals in three straight starts. He is 3-3-0 with a 3.19 GAA and .897 SV% in six starts against the B’s this season.

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Bruins at Capitals: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Capitals 2, Bruins 1

Money line (ML)

The CAPITALS (-110) are worth a look on home ice against the Bruins (-105) in what is essentially a meaningless game. Washington has the home-ice advantage, and is the No. 2 seed, while Boston is locked in at No. 3.

Neither team is likely to show much, as they dial it back and get ready for Game 1 of the playoffs on Saturday. Go lightly on the home side here.

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Against the spread (ATS)

The Bruins +1.5 (-275) would cost you nearly three times your potential return if you wanted a little insurance, and that’s crazy risk for no real reason.

On the flip side, playing the Capitals -1.5 (+220) is tempting, but they still have several players nursing lower-body injuries, including Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson, and there is no reason for them to risk it by playing.

AVOID.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 6 (-120) is the best play on the board here. While the series trends suggest an Over play, with the Over 3-0-1 in the past four and 7-3-1 in the past 11 meetings in D.C., this is a unique game in that neither side is likely to be skating all out.

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Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Saturday’s Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals NHL betting odds and lines, with hockey picks, tips and predictions.

The Boston Bruins (5-1-1) are visiting the Washington Capitals (5-0-3) for a two-game set beginning Saturday with a 7 p.m. ET puck drop at Capital One Arena. Below, we analyze the Bruins-Capitals NHL odds and lines, with picks and predictions.

Bruins at Capitals: Odds, spread and lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:55 a.m. ET.

  • Money line: Bruins -150 (bet $150 to win $100) | Capitals +125 (bet $100 to win $125)
  • Against the spread/ATS: Bruins -1.5 (+180) | Capitals +1.5 (-225)
  • Over/Under: 5.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)

Bruins at Capitals: Projected starting goalies

Tuukka Rask (3-1-0, .905 SV%, 2.13 GAA) vs. Vitek Vanecek (4-0-2, .915 SV%, 2.75 GAA)

Rask has faced a total of just 95 shots through four starts, resulting in his strong goals against average but unimpressive save percentage. He faced a season-high 30 shots against the Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday and made 28 stops for his second-straight win.

Vanecek remains the interim starter in Washington with Ilya Samsonov still in the league’s COVID-19 protocols. The 25-year-old rookie has faced at least 30 shots in all but one of his six starts, and he has gotten the Capitals at least a point in each one.

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Bruins at Capitals: Odds, lines, predictions and picks

Prediction

Bruins 4, Capitals 2

Money line (ML)

The BRUINS (-150) are the play with RW David Pastrnak (hip) expected to return to the lineup; he’ll boost a Bruins offense with just 12 even-strength goals through seven games. Meanwhile, the Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin and D Dmitry Orlov will return from COVID protocols, but C Evgeny Kuznetsov and are Samsonov out. C Lars Eller (upper body) and D Justin Schultz (face) are also questionable.

The Bruins, minus Pastrnak, have been dominating puck possession with a Corsi For rating of 54.10% at 5-on-5 ranking fourth in the NHL. Boston is also recording 53.81% of scoring chances at full strength. Washington is sub-50% and in the bottom half of the league in both categories.

Finally, the veteran Rask gets the edge over Vanecek. The rookie has been impressive in helping Washington stay in the win column with Samsonov on the sidelines, but he’ll be outmatched Saturday.

Against the spread (ATS)

Take the BRUINS -1.5 (+180) for added value with a $10 bet fetching a profit of $17 if Boston wins by at least 2 goals. The Caps haven’t lost in regulation, but Pastrnak’s return adds too much firepower to a Bruins attack already doing all the right things in terms of generating pressure and controlling the pace of play.

Over/Under (O/U)

Lean to the OVER 5.5 (-120) in expectation of Pastrnak getting on the board right away and Vanecek finally showing some cracks in one of his toughest tests thus far.

Rask hasn’t been quite as sharp as usual, and he’s likely to face a higher shot count against a Capitals team with 3 or more goals in all but one game.

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