The Washington Capitals (26-6-5) visit the Boston Bruins (21-7-9) in a Monday holiday mixer at TD Garden in Boston. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Capitals-Bruins odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.
Capitals at Bruins: Projected starting goalies
Braden Holtby vs. Tuukka Rask
Holtby owns a 2.75 GAA and .911 SV. He’s been solid (.918 SV%) over six starts in December, and he’s logged a .927 SV% over 124 minutes against Boston. Holtby stopped 102-of-105 (.971) shots against the Bruins last season. The 30-year-old stopped 26-of-27 against the Lightning in his last start (Dec. 21).
Rask has registered a 2.29 GAA, .929 SV% this season. But the 32-year-old Finn has been a bit off his game of late – over his last five games, he’s 0-2-3 with an .882 SV%. That stretch includes three home games. Rask logged a 3.43 GAA and .884 SV% against Washington (87 minutes) last season.
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Capitals at Bruins: Odds, picks and betting tips
Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Monday at 11 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Washington 4, Boston 3
Moneyline (ML)
The Capitals are 17-5 over their last 22 games in Boston. Their successes this season are mostly backed up by possession analytics. In particular, the Washington defense does tremendous work in keeping the low slot clear of would-be shooters. That’s been a benefit for the effective goaltending tandem of Holtby and Ilya Samsonov.
Will make a play on WASHINGTON (+110).
Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
The Bruins are 1-7 over their last eight games; five of those losses have been by a one-goal margin. Boston has been solid in getting back into games when trailing by multiple goals or when trailing late.
The Washington (+1.5, -250) line draws a PASS, but its not too far off from being a profitable play (-230).
Over/under (O/U)
The Caps are the highest scoring team in the NHL, and they’ve scored 5+ goals in 4-of-their-last-7 road games. Over that stretch, the Washington powerplay (normally a top-10 unit) has even been cold. The Capitals do commit more than their share of penalties, and that’s a boon for a top-3-ranked Boston powerplay. The over is: 11-2 in Washington’s last 13 vs. a team with a winning record … 21-10 in the Caps’ last 31 games …
Clocking in on the OVER (5.5, -129) is unlikely. A price near -120 would do the trick.
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