Capitals vs. Blue Jackets Prediction
The Washington Capitals have had well-documented issues advancing in the postseason over the last decade and it has continued so far against the Columbus Blue Jackets with two home losses to open the first round. Can the Capitals get their first win of the series tonight as the series shifts to Columbus?
Game Snapshot
51 Washington Capitals at 52 Columbus Blue Jackets
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Nationwide Arena at 7:30PM ET
TV: NBCSN
Public Betting Information
According to oddsmakers at YouWager, the Blue Jackets are a -135 favorite to win on the moneyline. The Capitals are a +115 underdog, while the total sits at 5.5 goals. As of Tuesday afternoon, 74 percent of public bets are siding with visiting Washington. Check out our NHL Public Betting Page for up-to-date info.
Panarin playing huge role
Columbus’ offense only ranked 17th this season in goals per game (2.9), but it has been clicking on all cylinders through two overtime wins at Washington with nine total goals. Blue Jackets left winger Artemi Panarin has been outstanding, scoring the game-winning goal and adding two assists in the 4-3 series-opening OT triumph. In Game 2, he added two more assists to help his squad to a 5-4 OT victory. He scored a point-per-game during the regular season, totaling 27 goals and 55 assists in 81 games played.
Holtby will start for Capitals
Washington turned to Philipp Grubauer to start the first two games, but he failed to seize the opportunity and was yanked in Game 2 in favor of Braden Holtby. While Holtby allowed the eventual overtime game-winner to Matt Calvert in OT, he’ll draw the Game 3 start tonight. Grubauer had allowed four goals on only 22 shots before being pulled late in the second period. Holtby was 34-16-4 with a 2.99 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage during the regular season.
NHL Betting Trends
Washington
The over is 9-2-1 in the last 12 meetings in Columbus. Washington is 5-0 in its last five road games.
Columbus
The over is 4-0 in the last four Blue Jackets games played on one day of rest. The over is 16-6-4 in the last 26 meetings.
Prediction:
How difficult is it to trust the Capitals in the playoffs? Every year you have it in your head that this is the time they’ll put it all together and then in a blink of an eye they are facing a 2-0 deficit or a must-win game of some sort. The Blue Jackets are probably the team to bet on tonight, but I’m instead looking at the over. These two teams put up a lot of goals against each other usually and I don’t trust Holtby to shut the door. Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has been far from perfect through two games as well. Expect another high-scoring affair tonight.
NHL DAILY PREDICTION: CAPITALS/BLUE JACKETS OVER 5.5