The Boston Bruins (20-14-4) travel to face off against the Washington Capitals (24-10-2) on Tuesday, December 31st. This game will be played at Capital One Arena in Washington and televised on ESPN+. The Bruins are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Capitals are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Hurricanes. Puck drop is set for 12:30 ET.

Bruins vs Capitals

The Boston Bruins Are Coming Off A Win

Boston improved to 20-14-4 with a 2-0 road win over the Kraken. The Bruins, favored by -1.5 goals, covered the puck line. The total was set at 6 goals, but the combined score of 2 fell well short of that number.

Both of Boston’s goals came in the first period, with Justin Brazeau scoring at 16:37 and Charlie Coyle adding another at 10:03. The Bruins’ defense held the Kraken scoreless, with Jeremy Swayman stopping all 23 shots he faced.

The Washington Capitals Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

With a 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Capitals now sit at 24-10-2 for the season. Washington initially fell behind 1-0 but responded with two goals in the first period. However, Carolina answered with three straight goals to secure the win.

Going into the game, the total was set at 6 goals, and the combined score hit exactly that number. The Capitals were underdogs on the puck line, and with the loss, they failed to cover.

Boston Offense Breakdown

Boston’s offense got off to a quick start with Justin Brazeau’s 5th goal of the season, followed by Charlie Coyle’s 2nd, which came on a power play. The Bruins took 33 shots on goal and recorded 16 giveaways.

Boston’s two goals came in the first period, with Brazeau scoring at 16:37 and Coyle netting his goal at 10:03. The Bruins registered 4 assists in the game.

Capitals Offense Breakdown

Washington’s offense was held to just two goals in their 4-2 loss to Carolina. Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season on a power play, while Brandon Duhaime added his 2nd goal. The Capitals took 21 shots on goal but were hampered by 15 giveaways.

Both of Washington’s goals came in the first period, with Duhaime scoring at 19:49 and Ovechkin earlier at 19:16. Nic Dowd picked up his 2nd assist of the season, and Dylan Strome earned his 13th assist on Ovechkin’s power-play goal.

Boston Team Defense

Boston’s defense was rock-solid in their last game, leading to a 2-0 win over the Kraken. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves with a 100% save percentage, while the defense added 5 takeaways and 15 hits.

Washington Team Defense

Washington’s defense allowed the first goal of the game and three more after taking a 2-1 lead late in the first period. The Hurricanes scored twice in the second and added an empty-net goal with 9 seconds left in the third. Goalie Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage. The Capitals’ defense also recorded 20 hits and 2 takeaways.

Bruins vs Capitals Trends

• In their last five games away from home, the Bruins have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 2-3 vs. the spread. The team averaged 2 goals per game in this stretch.
• In their last five home games, Washington has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing 2. The team’s record in this stretch was 4-1 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
• Looking back on the team’s last three games as the underdog, the Capitals have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 1-2.
• Through their last five games as the favorite, the Bruins have an puck line record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 4-1.

Bruins vs Capitals Prediction

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Bruins to secure a victory over the Capitals on the road. With the moneyline currently set at +120, I’m locking in my bet on the Bruins straight-up.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Bruins winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Bruins straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

If you’re looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our prediction is that this game will exceed that mark, and we strongly advise placing a bet on the over.

---

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

---

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.