Washington Capitals vs Minnesota Wild NHL Betting Prediction

NHL Capitals vs Minnesota Wild Prediction 1/23/2024

The Washington Capitals (22-16-6) travel to face off against the Minnesota Wild (20-21-5) on Tuesday, January 23rd. This game will be played at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul and televised on ESPN+. The Wild are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Capitals are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Blues. Puck drop is set for 8:00 ET.

Capitals vs Wild

washington capitals nhl

The Washington Capitals Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

On the season, the Capitals have gone 22-16-6, putting them 6th in the Metropolitan Division and 11th in the Eastern Conference. In the East, they have gone 12-13, while on the road, they are 9-9-2.

Over their last ten games, Washington has gone 5-5, and they come into this one having won two straight games when favored. As the underdog, the Capitals have gone 11-15-4 this season, including two straight losses.

On the road this season, the Capitals have a puck line record of 9-11, and their average scoring margin in road games is -.8 goals per game. So far, Washington has been the underdog in 30 of their games, and their puck line record as the underdog is 16-14.

Across their last ten road games, the Capitals have gone 5-5 against the puck line, and their average scoring margin as the underdog is -1.2 goals per game. In their last ten games overall, Washington’s puck line record is 6-4.

Following a 3-0 loss on the road to the Blues, the Capitals are eager to bounce back. In the game against the Blues, Washington’s offense had a tough time and didn’t score a single goal. During the game, the Capitals’ offense had 4 turnovers and took 18 shots on goal while being shutout.

Entering the game as the underdog, Washington not only suffered a straight-up loss but also failed to cover the puck line. Combining for 3 goals, the game finished below the over/under line of 5.5.

The Minnesota Wild Are Coming Off A Win

At home this season, Minnesota has gone 11-9-3, and they have won two straight games. In the Western Conference standings, the Wild are 13th and 7th in the Central Division. Overall, Minnesota has a record of 20-21-5.

As the favorite this season, the Wild have gone 13-4-2, and they have been favored in 19 of their 46 games. Over their last ten games, Minnesota has gone 4-6, and they are 2-1 in their last three games.

Minnesota has gone 24-22 against the puck line this year, including a 11-12 mark at home. So far, the Wild have 13 wins by multiple goals.

Overall, the team’s average scoring margin is -.4 goals per game, and they have gone 8-11 vs. the puck line when favored. In their last ten games at home, the Wild have gone just 5-5 vs. the puck line.

The Wild most recently took on the Hurricanes and secured a win with a score of 5-2. The Wild’s offense scored in each period against the Hurricanes. In the game, Minnesota managed to score all five goals at even strength. They concluded with 19 shots on goal and committed 3 turnovers.

Minnesota was the underdog going into the game and picked up a win against the puck line. The over/under line going into the game was 6.5 goals, which the teams surpassed with their combined 7 goals.

Washington Offense Breakdown

On offense, the Capitals are averaging 2.3 goals per game which is 30th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are 32nd in the league. In terms of the Capitals’ offense during power plays, they are 32nd in power play goals and 31st in shorthanded goals.

This season, the Capitals’ have an over/under record of 16-27-1. Throughout the season, they have played 26 games that did not exceed the 5.5 over/under line. On average, their games are averaging 5.4 goals per game.

Wild Offense Breakdown

minnesota wild

Offensively, the Wild come into the game at 3 goals per contest placing 20th in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 20th position in the league. Looking at how the Wild’s offense is performing during power plays, they are 14th in power play goals and 23rd in shorthanded goals.

So far, the Wild have an over/under record of 23-19-4. Coming into the game, they have played 27 games that went beyond the 5.5 over/under line. Their games, on average, had 6.5 goals per game.

Washington Team Defense

Defensively, the Capitals are currently 22nd in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 30.5 shots per game against Washington. They also are 13th in shutouts, coming in with 3 shutouts.

Minnesota Team Defense

Minnesota defense takes on the Capitals ranked 15th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 30.5 shots per game against Minnesota. They also are 12th in shutouts, with 3 shutouts.

Capitals vs Wild Trends

  • In their last ten games away from home, the Capitals have a straight up record of 4-6 while going 5-5 vs. the spread. The team averaged 2 goals per game in this stretch.
  • Minnesota has a 1-2 record in their last three home games. In this stretch, they averaged 2 goals per game while allowing 3. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 2-1.
  • In their last three games as the betting underdog, the Wild have a strong straight up record of 2-1. In addition, their puck line record was 2-1 in these scenarios.
  • Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Capitals have gone 3-7 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 8-2.

Capitals vs Wild Prediction

When it comes to a moneyline wager, I’m going with the Capitals to defeat the Wild while playing on the road. Given the current moneyline odds at +131, I’m placing a wager on the Capitals to win outright.

Our projections have the Capitals pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Capitals, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down on them to cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making 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.