One of tonight's three matchups features the Washington Capitals against the Ottawa Senators. Who are we adding to our NHL picks tonight, and why do we think this game holds great sports betting value?
The Washington Capitals were supposed to be a good
goaltender away from being a serious Stanley Cup contender. With just 23 games
remaining in their regular season, they’re just six points better than the
worst team in the Eastern Conference.
As they get set for a visit to Canada’s capital, a lot of
people are wondering whether they’ve quit on their head coach for a second time
this season. They’re coming off a 5-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday
in a game which they had to have. Superstar Alexander Ovechkin registered just
one shot on net and that has not sat well with fans, touts
and pundits.
Wednesday,
February 22th
NHL odds boards opened with Ottawa at -155. While the total remains steady at 5.5, sports betting action has lowered the lines to -140. Lets break down this matchup and decide where we should place our NHL picks.
The Washington Capitals can win because…
Nothing is lost yet. Yes, the Caps are in 10th
place in the Eastern Conference. Yes, they’ve lost five of six. And yes, they
completely embarrassed themselves all the way around in Monday’s 5-0 loss. But
when you look up at the playoff races, the Caps are just two points behind the
Toronto Maple Leafs for the eighth and final playoff spot and also two points
behind the Southeast Division leading Florida Panthers. All it takes is one win
to get back in business.
That win can come on Wednesday against Ottawa, which is a
team the Caps have dominated. They are 13-3-3 in the last 19 meetings and has
won six of the last seven. They’ve even won all three meetings with Ottawa this
season.
The Caps have gotten the services of Mike Green back in
the lineup and while he’s struggled to shake off the rust so far, he’s a real
asset and should help the team going forward.
The Ottawa Senators can win because…
The Capitals have lost five of six, and are packing it on
for the season. More surprising than their 5-0 loss to the worst team in the
Eastern Conference on Monday might be the comments coming out of the locker
room. Forward Jeff Halpern said “It's amazing that as bad as we've played,
we're still in it”. We’d rather here things like “we’re going to turn things
around ASAP and never do that again”.
The Caps were outshot 40-17, which is a clear indication
of effort. Wednesday’s game will be their third in four nights, so fatigue will
be a factor.
Meanwhile, the Sens are back in the positives with four
wins in five games. They have won three straight while outscoring their
opponents 16-2 in the process. For the Sens, their goaltending has been hit or
miss this season, so it really all amounts to scoring. When they’re on like
they are right now, they are tough to beat.
The Caps are reeling and are still without Nicklas
Backstrom, who was a key factor in the Capitals wins over Ottawa earlier this
season (scoring a goal each time). There’s just no way you can put your
hard-earned money on Washington when they’re playing like this.
Outlook & NHL Betting Prediction:
All signs point to Ottawa in this one and it’s really
hard to take Washington in this spot – even with their previous success in this
series. The value is tempting, but they’ve played so poorly of late that you
simply can’t bet a team that’s not giving their best effort.
Oddly enough, the Senators can actually climb up to
second in the conference with a win. They’re just two points behind the Boston
Bruins for the division lead (even though the Bruins have four games in hand).
They’ve got plenty to play for two and they’re actually playing like they care.
Take the Sens.
NHL Picks: Senators