Predators vs. Capitals Odds, Picks, Predictions: Washington to Continue Hot Streak

The Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals are both coming off Thursday night wins when they meet for Friday’s game. Read on for our best Predators vs. Capitals pick based on top odds.

The Predators have just one regulation loss in the past eight games, going 5-1-2, and earned an impressive 5-3 win at Carolina on Thursday.

Nashville’s power play has shown signs of life, scoring six goals at five-on-four during those eight games after scoring 12 in the previous 29 games.

Washington is one of the hottest teams in the league. The Capitals have one regulation loss in the past 15 games and ranks third with 57.8% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals in that time. 

Capitals sniper Alex Ovechkin is on a tear with 16 goals in the past 15 games, vaulting him to third in the league with 29 goals in 41 games. If the game comes down to needing one more goal, the Capitals have the guy that can make that difference.

Here is our best Predators vs. Capitals NHL pick (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

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Predators vs. Capitals Game Info

• Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, 7 p.m. ET
• ESPN+, NBCSWA, BSSO
• Capital One Arena, Washington, DC

Predators vs. Capitals Odds

Check out our complete list of NHL odds here!

Predators vs. Capitals Odds Analysis

The consensus moneyline opened with the Capitals as home favorites, priced at -150. In early wagering, 98% of the cash is on Washington, shifting the line to -158.

The consensus total opened briefly at 6.5, at -105 for the Over and -115 for the Under. With 75% of the early money on the Under, it quickly moved to 6. The consensus total at Pregame.com sits at -121 for the Over and +110 for the Under.

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Predators vs. Capitals Pick

Capitals ML ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The first half of the season was supposed to be a case of the Capitals treading water until they got Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson back from injuries.

That's exactly how things were going until about a month ago, when the Capitals started dominating at five-on-five and paired that with high-end goaltending. Over the past month, Washington has a league-best .928 save percentage.

This comes into play in the second game of a back-to-back because Washington’s backup goaltender, Charlie Lindgren, has been excellent. Lindgren is a 29-year-old journeyman who has delivered a .914 save percentage in 18 games.

Part of Nashville’s surge in the standings has also been due to goaltending. In the past month, they rank ninth with a .914 team save percentage.

Where this works in Washington’s favor is that Nashville’s backup, Kevin Lankinen, started the season strong but has struggled lately, having allowed five goals in three of his past five starts.

Washington is a tough test for any team right now, and are in better position to handle the Preds in a back-to-back scenario for both teams.

Predators vs. Capitals Best Odds

DraftKings (-155)

With the total at 6 across the top sportsbooks, the only variation on the board is that FanDuel is charging -110 for both the Over and the Under, while the rest have nudged the price on the Over to -115, compared to -105 for the Under.

The Capitals are clear favorites, but there is some value to be found by making this wager at DraftKings, where Washington is priced at -155 on the moneyline. That stands in contrast to FanDuel, which prices the Capitals at -170 to prevail.

The possible return of Backstrom and Wilson likely has the biggest potential to shift the line on Friday. But with both players coming off of long absences, expectations should be held in check for that first game back. In any case, Washington is rolling right now, no matter who is playing.

Predators-Capitals pick made 1/6/2023 at 12:30 p.m. ET.

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