Since 2005 one of the greatest rivalries in sports has been the Penguins and Capitals. Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin have been two superstars in that span. Their personal rivalry has been emblematic of their respective teams. Correspondingly NBC has one of the top matchups of the year with the NHL odds on Sunday. Both teams have shown playoff form most of the 2019-20 season. And Sunday’s game could well be a preview of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Consider that the Pens and Caps have won three of the last four Cup titles.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals
| Date and Time: | Sunday, February 23, 2020, Noon ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Capital One Arena, Washington, DC |
| Penguins vs. Capitals TV Coverage: | NBC |
| NHL Betting Online Odds at SBG: | Click Here |
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals Overview
Late on the Pens have skated to six wins in their last eight games. Pittsburgh has a sportsbook record of 37-15-6 with only 27 games over the total. NHL metrics have them seventh for goals scored, 14th for power play, sixth for goals against, and eighth for penalty killing.
By contrast, the slumping Caps have lost four of their last five tilts. Washington is 37-17-5 with only 22 games going under the total. Overall the Capitals rank fourth for goals scored, 13th for power play, 14th for goals against and fourth for penalty killing. As a result of the sump, Washington has dropped from first to fourth in the Eastern Conference.
Key Penguins: C Evgeni Malkin (18 G, 40 A, 58 PTS, 5 PPG, 15 PPA, 13.0 SPCT), D Kris Letang (14 G, 25 A, 39 PTS, 6 PPG, 8 PPA, 9.4 SPCT), G Matt Murray (17-7-5, 2.76 GAA, .904 SVPCT, 1 SO), G Tristan Jarry (19-8-1 2.14 GAA, .930 SVPCT, 3 SO)
Key Capitals: D John Carlson (15 G, 55 A, 70 PTS, +14, 2 PPG, 22 PPA, 9.1 SPCT), LW Alex Ovechkin (40 G, 17 A, 57 PTS, -14, 12 PPG, 5 PPA, 14.5 SPCT), G Braden Holtby (21-13-4 3.11 GAA, .897 SVPCT, 0 SO)
Pittsburgh and Washington Against the Spread
The Penguins are:
- 11-4 against the spread in their last 15 away games
- 1-5 under the total on-road ice
- 5-2 on the board in their last seven games as dogs
- 7-4 over the total as the underdog
- 7-5 vs. the odds in their last 12 games at Washington
- 2-7 under the total in away games vs. Caps
The Capitals are:
- 3-5 against the spread in their last eight games at Capital One Arena
- 5-0-1 over the total on home ice
- 6-4 on the board in their last 10 games as a favorite
- 7-0-2 over the total as a chalk
- 1-4 in their last five head to head meetings with the Penguins
- 3-2 over the total against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals NHL Odds Pick
On this occasion, the visiting Penguins will likely bring more value to the NHL odds. Pittsburgh has been a strong away team and dog. Washington has become an overlay at home. And has fallen back to some of their bad habits from a year ago. As mentioned earlier the Pens have had the head to head edge recently as well.
Penguins vs. Capitals NHL Odds Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins vs. Capitals NHL Odds Score Prediction: Penguins 3, Capitals 2