Welcome back to another day of NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are happening and gives our predictions for each one, breaking down head-to-head and other factors that may play in. We also have a featured game of the day, which is considered must-watch TV. Today’s featured game is the Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes.
NHL Predictions With Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes
Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes
Head-to-Head: Capitals 0 – 0 Hurricanes
The Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes are the Metropolitan Division’s strongest teams. The Hurricanes picked up a dominant 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, while the Capitals defeated the Florida Panthers.
Alex Ovechkin continues to be a machine on offence. He has six goals and four assists through his last four games, including his 29th career hat trick against Florida. Prior to Friday’s matinee, Carolina hadn’t scored more than one goal in two games. It probably wasn’t cause for too much concern even then, but any doubts were erased with their latest six-goal showing, in which scoring came from up and down the lineup. Five different players—including at least one from each of the four forward lines—found the back of the net against Philadelphia.
Though the Capitals and Hurricanes are both intimidating teams, Carolina holds the advantage in goaltending. Washington’s Ilya Samsonov is no slouch, but the Hurricanes’ Frederik Anderson has been exceptionally solid this season. He ranks within the top five goaltenders league-wide in save percentage (.936), goals-against average (1.89), and goals saved above expected (12.9, via MoneyPuck). It should be a close game, but expect a Hurricanes win tonight.
Prediction: Hurricanes win, 4-3
Tampa Bay Lightning vs Minnesota Wild
Head-to-Head: Lightning 1 – 0 Wild
Two strong teams clash as the Tampa Bay Lightning take on the Minnesota Wild for the second time this season. The Lightning got the win in a shootout the first time around. Since then, both teams haven’t lost a game.
The Wild are fresh off a 7-1 blowout of the Winnipeg Jets. In that contest, Kirill Kaprizov logged three assists and a goal, adding to his five points from the previous four games. On the other side, the Lightning have been missing one of their best forwards in Brayden Point—but his absence hasn’t slowed them down. Andrei Vasilevskiy put up consecutive shutouts against the Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken, and Steven Stamkos provided two goals and two assists in those same games. Though the Wild will prove a tougher foe, the Lightning should keep on rolling.
Prediction: Lightning win, 4-2
New York Islanders vs New York Rangers
Head-to-Head: Game postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak with the Islanders.
Main Image: Embed from Getty Images
