The Washington Capitals (23-8-2) travel to face off against the Boston Bruins (18-13-4) on Monday, December 23rd. This game will be played at TD Garden in Boston 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 7:00 ET.

Capitals vs Bruins

The Washington Capitals Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Washington’s 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes dropped their record to 23-8-2. The Capitals held a 2-1 lead after the first period, but the Hurricanes scored three unanswered goals to secure the win.

The total for the game was set at 6 goals, and the combined score matched that number. Washington, as the underdog on the puck line, failed to cover. Both of the Capitals’ goals came in the first period.

The Boston Bruins Are Coming Off A Win

Boston improved to 18-13-4 with a 2-0 win over the Kraken. The Bruins covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, with the total set at 6 goals. Both of Boston’s goals came in the first period.

Justin Brazeau opened the scoring at 16:37 in the first period, and Charlie Coyle added a power-play goal at 10:03. Boston’s defense held Seattle scoreless, with Jeremy Swayman making 23 saves.

Washington Offense Breakdown

Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season, and Brandon Duhaime followed with his 2nd as the Capitals were shut out after the first period in their 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes. Ovechkin’s goal came on a power play, giving him 5 shots on goal, while Duhaime scored on one of his 3 attempts.

Washington took 21 shots on goal but struggled with 15 giveaways. Dylan Strome earned his 13th assist on Ovechkin’s goal, and John Carlson added his 7th assist. Nic Dowd picked up his 2nd assist on Duhaime’s goal.

Bruins Offense Breakdown

Boston’s offense came early in their 2-0 win over Seattle. Justin Brazeau netted his 5th goal of the season, while Charlie Coyle added his 2nd on a power play.

The Bruins took 33 shots on goal but also had 16 giveaways. They scored twice in the first period, with Brazeau’s goal coming 3:23 into the game and Coyle’s following at 10:03.

Washington Team Defense

Defensively, the Capitals will look to improve after giving up the first goal and three more unanswered to the Hurricanes. They allowed two goals in the 2nd period and one in the 3rd. The final goal was an empty netter with just 9 seconds left in the game. Goalie Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves, posting a 93.2% save percentage.

Boston Team Defense

Boston’s defense was rock solid in their last game, leading to a 2-0 victory over the Kraken. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves, finishing with a perfect 100% save percentage. The Bruins’ defense also contributed with 5 takeaways and 15 hits.

Capitals vs Bruins Trends

• In their last five games away from home, the Capitals have a straight up record of 3-2 while going 2-3 vs the spread. The team averaged 2 goals per game in this stretch.
• When looking at their past three home matchups, Boston has an puck line record of 1-2 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 3-0 overall in these games.
• Through their last five games as the betting underdog, the Bruins have a strong record vs the puck line going 3-2. Their straight up mark in these contests is 2-3.
• Through their last three games as the favorite, the Capitals have an puck line record of 2-1 and a straight up mark of 2-1.

Capitals vs Bruins Prediction

For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Bruins to secure a victory over the Capitals at home. With the moneyline currently set at -129, I’m locking in my bet on the Bruins straight-up.

For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Capitals to cover. Even if the Bruins secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Capitals should cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 5.5 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering on the over.

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

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* 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.