Washington Capitals vs. Edmonton Oilers Prediction, Betting Odds, and Our Best Bet

The Washington Capitals and their absolutely dominant 31-10-5 record are visiting the Edmonton Oilers and their 29-14-3 record in a key cross-conference showdown tonight at Rogers Place.

With both teams sitting near the top of their respective divisions, this game has all of the makings of an intense matchup. Despite the records, the Oilers are slightly favored at -135 on the moneyline, while the Capitals come in as underdogs at +115. This tells us that even the bookmakers think this will be a fairly close game.

With the Capitals riding a hot streak and Edmonton’s offense firing on all cylinders, let’s take a look at the game and see what betting opportunities we can find.

Odds and Matchup Breakdown

As we mentioned, the Oilers enter this matchup with a slight edge according to oddsmakers.

Their home ice and the explosive offense are what we think give them an advantage. Leon Draisaitl is a force to be reckoned with as he leads Edmonton with a whopping 33 goals and 36 assists for a team-best 69 points. In fact, that’s good enough to tie Nikita Kucherov for 2nd in the NHL, just behind Nathan MacKinnon with his 74 points. He’s been crucial in the Oilers’ recent success, as they’ve gone 8-2-0 in their last 10 games. They’re averaging 4.2 goals per game during that span and Draisaitl has been one of the biggest contributors.

On the other side of the ice, the Capitals are no slouches, either. They’re 7-0-3 in their last 10 games and boast one of the league’s top defenses. They’ve only allowed just 2.2 goals per game this season. A big reason for this is they have one of the best netminders in the NHL — Logan Thompson. He has been stellar in net, sporting a .925 save percentage and a 2.09 goals-against average, both among the best in the league.

It’s easy to see how this game could be a close one. Obviously, one of the two has to walk away with 2 points so we have to dig a little deeper to see how this game will pan out.

Edmonton’s Firepower

The Oilers’ success hinges on their ability to overwhelm opponents with their insane offensive depth.

While Draisaitl steals the show, let’s not forget Connor McDavid is on that top line as well. Some even call him one of the best players in the world (you read that right). He’s boasting 65 points on the season, but that’s mostly due to his playmaking and setting up goals as he has 45 assists.

But there’s more to the team than just this duo. Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have provided strong secondary scoring as well. Edmonton ranks 7th on the power play at 24.6%, and their ability to absolutely dominate on special teams will be a big factor against a Capitals PK unit that sits third in the league at 84.2%.

Defensively, the Oilers are a little more vulnerable. Stuart Skinner has been somewhat steady between the pipes, but his .901 save percentage and 2.70 GAA leave just a little bit of room for improvement.

To top all of that off, Edmonton’s recent games have been high-scoring games. In 6 of their last 10 games, they blew through 5 total goals.  This is a team that knows how to find the back of the net, but can they do it against a surging Washington?

Washington’s Balance

The Capitals have shown a well-rounded game this season. Their offense is clicking and the defense is doing even better.

Alex Ovechkin’s goal-scoring dominance with 21 goals is easily complemented by Dylan Strome’s playmaking abilities with 34 assists. These 2 superstars pack a 1-2 punch when their line is on the ice and watching Ovechkin chase Wayne Gretzky’s NHL all-time goal-scoring record has been a lot of fun to watch as well.

While we love it when they light the lamp, the defense has been their saving grace. Washington has really excelled in limiting opponents, with their defense ranking 2nd in goals allowed at 2.2 per game and their penalty kill among the league’s best. This balance is really why they’re sitting 1st in the Metropolitan Division.

However, injuries could play a role tonight as well. Key contributors T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, and Sonny Milano remain on the IR which leaves Washington shorthanded against a team as deep as Edmonton. Being without these studs could be their downfall.

Prediction and Best Bet

This game pits Edmonton’s insanely explosive offense against Washington’s suffocating defense. That combination has all of the markings of a good, close game.

While both teams have been successful over the last few weeks, the Oilers’ edge on home ice and their ability to outscore opponents is what we think will prove decisive. 

Edmonton’s scoring depth, led by the Draisaitl/McDavid duo, coupled with their solid record at Rogers Place, makes them the safer bet for tonight. It’ll still be a close game, however.

The Capitals’ injuries are a big concern for us, especially against a team with as much firepower as the Oilers. On top of that, Edmonton’s recent games have leaned toward higher scores, which really favors their style of play.

• Best Bet: Edmonton Oilers (-135)
• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Oilers 4, Capitals 3

We’re expecting Edmonton to win over the Caps in what we think will be a high-scoring affair, likely going right through the 5.5 total goals mark. Taking the puck line might be a bridge too far as these 2 teams are pretty evenly matched.