Hurricanes vs. Capitals Odds
| Hurricanes Odds | -178 |
| Capitals Odds | +146 |
| Over / Under | 5.5 -140 / +114 |
Here's everything you need to know about the Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals on Friday, Jan. 5 – our expert NHL prediction and pick.
Since coming back from the holiday break, the Hurricanes are red hot. They’ve won four in a row, including a devastating 6-1 win against the division-leading Rangers.
Washington hasn’t had the same fate. The Capitals have played five games since the break and lost all but one. What’s fascinating is that the Metropolitan Division is tight knit, so they’re not out of it just yet.
So, how do they match up on Friday? Let’s get to my Hurricanes vs. Capitals pick.
Carolina Hurricanes
Sebastian Aho had himself a good holiday. The star center posted 12 points in his four games back. The break wasn’t only kind to Aho. Andrei Svechnikov is also on fire with six goals since then, and Brent Burns has six points. Everyone is buzzing and the Canes are well on their way to making a push for the top spot in the Metro.
Carolina started off rough, but since its emergence, it’s become a force at 5-on-5. It drives play at an elite rate, ranking fourth in expected goals (54.42 xGF%) and fifth with a 2.39 xGA/60.
Once again, it’s another year of the Hurricanes being successful at special teams. They score on the power play at an insane 27.3% clip, and succeed on the penalty kill 83% of the time.
Carolina’s success can also be attributed to goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov, who’s playing incredible in his past nine starts. He’s played to a .934 SV% and has 4.4 goals saved above expected (GSAx), including stopping 28-of-29 shots against the Rangers on Tuesday.
Washington Capitals
There’s nothing to write home about the Capitals. Alex Ovechkin isn’t scoring like we’re accustomed to seeing, John Carlson is having an OK year and leading goal scorer Dylan Strome hasn’t scored in eight games. Anthony Mantha has been a bright spot with seven points in his past nine, but there’s chatter that his time in Washington may be ending this season.
Washington’s 5-on-5 attack has been dreadful all season, as it's the fourth-worst team with a 46.02 xGF%. Similarly, it’s just as bad defensively, playing to a 2.83 xGA/60.
Usually the Capitals’ bread and butter was their power play. But with Ovechkin not scoring a whole lot, it’s been ineffective, only scoring at a 13.7% pace. Fortunately for them, the penalty kill is solid at 81%.
A bigger blow to the Caps is that goalie Charlie Lindgren is out for the foreseeable future. He was well on his way to having the best season of his career, but now the Caps are relying on Darcy Kuemper and Hunter Shepard. Kuemper, the former Stanley Cup winner, will probably start, but he’s having a mediocre season, playing to an .893 SV% and a -1.6 GSAx.
(Are you in North Carolina? With North Carolina sports betting coming online this year, you’ll be able to bet legally at major sportsbooks. Learn more.)
Hurricanes vs. Capitals
Betting Pick & Prediction
It’s a tale of two teams, and one of them is riding high.
Based on what I’ve seen out of the Hurricanes, I’d say they’re all the way back. They look like a team determined to make a run, and with the goaltending they’re getting, they just may do that.
Washington just seems out of sorts. It’s a middling and aging roster with a first-time coach, and it appears the Capitals are progressively falling into the abyss of mediocrity. They hardly do anything at an efficient level, and have a hungry Hurricanes team ready to sweep them off their feet.
Washington usually plays well at home, but I don’t see the Capitals coming out on top tonight. In fact, I think the Hurricanes win in regulation.
Pick: Carolina Hurricanes 60-Minute Moneyline (-110)
