The Chicago Blackhawks (16-42-5) travel to face off against the Washington Capitals (29-23-9) on Saturday, March 9th. This game will be played at Capital One Arena in Washington and televised on NBCS. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.
Blackhawks vs Capitals
The Chicago Blackhawks Are Coming Off A Win
With a record of 16-42-5, the Blackhawks are in 16th place in the Western Conference and 8th in the Central Division. On the road, Chicago is just 5-25-1 this season.
Over their last ten games, the Blackhawks have gone just 2-8 and are just 1-4 over their last five games. As the underdog, Chicago has gone 15-41-5 this season.
Chicago enters this game with a puck line record of 28-35 and 10-21 on the road. They have lost 34 games by multiple goals compared to just 13 by one goal. So far, the Blackhawks have been the underdog in all but two games and have a puck line record of 28-33 as the underdog.
Over their last ten games, Chicago has a puck line record of 4-6 and their average scoring margin for the season is -1.5 goals per game. In their last ten road games, the Blackhawks have gone just 3-7 against the puck line.
In their most recent matchup, the Blackhawks played against the Coyotes and won with a score of 5-2. Against the Coyotes, the Blackhawks’ offense scored in all three periods. Chicago’s four power-play goals contributed to their total of 5 goals. Their offensive performance came with 28 shots on goal and eight giveaways.
Despite being the underdog, Chicago managed to secure a win against the puck line in the game. The teams surpassed the over/under line, which was set at 6 goals, with a combined total of 7 goals.
The Washington Capitals Are Coming Off A Win
At 29-23-9, the Capitals are 5th in the Metropolitan Division and 10th in the Eastern Conference. In the East, Washington has gone 19-17, and at home, they are 16-10-5. Over their last ten games, the Capitals are 6-4, and they have won two straight games as the underdog.
Overall, the Capitals have been the favorite in 17 of their games, going 12-3-2 in those contests. In the Eastern Conference, Washington has been the favorite in 44 games and has gone 17-20-7 in those matchups. Over their last five games, the Capitals have gone 3-2, and against other Eastern Conference teams, they have gone 14-8.
Washington has a puck line record of 29-32 this season, including going 6-4 against the puck line in their last ten games. So far, the Capitals have 15 wins by multiple goals and 14 wins by just one goal.
When playing at home, the Capitals have gone 15-16 against the puck line this season and 7-3 against the puck line in their last ten home games. As the favorite, Washington has a puck line record of just 4-13 this season, and they have dropped their last three games as the favorite.
The Capitals recently played against the Penguins and secured a win with a score of 6-0. In every single period, the Capitals’ offense scored a goal against the Penguins. One of Washington’s six goals were generated during power plays, while one were scored when shorthanded. In total, they had 29 shots on goal.
Going into the game, Washington was the underdog, giving them a win vs. the puck line. The game finished with a 6 goals which resulted an a push on the over/under.
Chicago Offense Breakdown
On the offensive side, the Blackhawks are scoring an 2 goals per game this season, ranking 32nd in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 30th in the league. Chicago’s offense is currently ranked 29th in power play goals. When it comes to shorthanded goals, they are 27th in the league.
The Blackhawks come in with an over/under record of 24-37-2. Over the course of the season, they have had 31 games failing to surpass the 6 goal over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is at 5.6 per game.
Capitals Offense Breakdown
The Capitals come into the game scoring an average of 2.7 goals per game, putting them 30th in the NHL. Regarding shots targeted at the goal per game, they are 31st in the league. So far this year, the Capitals are 9-6 in games they have had more shots on goal than their opponent. They are 20-17 in games with fewer shots on goal.
This season, the Capitals’ have an over/under record of 28-30-3. Throughout the season, they have played 29 games that did not exceed the 6 over/under line. On average, their games are averaging 5.9 goals per game.
Chicago Team Defense
Chicago defense takes on the Capitals ranked 7th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are averaging 32.5 shots per game against Chicago. They also are 26th in shutouts, with 1 shutouts.
Washington Team Defense
The Capitals defense is currently 19th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 30.4 shots per game against Washington. In terms of shutouts, they come into the game ranked 5th with 5 shutouts.
Blackhawks vs Capitals Trends
- Through their last five road games, Chicago has an puck line record of just 2-3. However, their overall record was 1-4 while averaging 1 goals per game.
- In their last three home games, Washington has averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 3. The team’s record in this stretch was 2-1 while going 2-1 vs. the spread.
- The Capitals have played well in their last five games as the betting underdog, going 3-2 straight up and 4-1 against the spread.
- Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Blackhawks have gone 2-8 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 4-6.
Blackhawks vs Capitals Prediction
If you’re looking for a straight moneyline bet, then the Capitals are the way to go. However, with a payout of -221, you might consider using this bet as a leg of a parlay.
For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Blackhawks to cover. Even if the Capitals secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Blackhawks should cover the puck line.
When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6 goals, we believe that this game will go over that threshold, and we recommend wagering 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.
Last updated:March 9, 2024 Blackhawks, Capitals