Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals NHL Betting Prediction

NHL Penguins vs Washington Capitals Prediction 11/8/2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins (5-8-2) travel to face off against the Washington Capitals (9-3-0) on Friday, November 8th. This game will be played at Capital One Arena in Washington and televised on ESPN+. The Penguins 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 7:30 ET.

Penguins vs Capitals

pittsburgh penguins nhl

The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Coming Off A Win

Pittsburgh improved to 5-8-2 with a 3-1 road win over the Canadiens. The Penguins covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 4 goals fell short of the 6.5-goal line.

Sidney Crosby led the way with two goals, and Blake Lizotte added an empty-netter to seal the win. The Penguins kept the Canadiens off the board until the third period.

The Washington Capitals Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Washington’s 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes dropped their record to 9-3-0. The Capitals were the underdogs on the puck line, and the total for the game was set at 6 goals, which ended in a push.

After falling behind early, the Capitals responded with two goals in the first period. However, the Hurricanes scored the game’s final three goals to secure the win.

Pittsburgh Offense Breakdown

Sidney Crosby scored his 4th and 5th goals of the season in the Penguins’ 3-1 victory over Montreal. Blake Lizotte added an empty-netter, his 2nd goal of the year. Pittsburgh took 24 shots on goal and found the net for the first time at 4:03 in the first period.

Crosby’s second goal came on a power play, while the Penguins had 14 giveaways. Lars Eller picked up his 3rd assist on Lizotte’s empty-net goal, and Erik Karlsson recorded his 7th assist on Crosby’s power-play goal in the second period.

Capitals Offense Breakdown

washington capitals

Washington’s offense came out strong in the first period, with Alex Ovechkin netting his 7th goal of the season on a power play. Brandon Duhaime followed up with his 2nd goal, as the Capitals took a 2-1 lead into the second period.

However, the Capitals failed to score in the second and third periods, finishing with 21 shots on goal. They recorded 15 giveaways and added 3 assists, including Dylan Strome’s 13th of the season.

Pittsburgh Team Defense

Defensively, the Penguins will look to build on a strong performance that saw them allow just one goal to Montreal. Alex Nedeljkovic made 25 saves with a 96.2% save percentage, and the defense added 5 takeaways and 19 hits. The only goal they gave up came at 5:32 into the 3rd period.

Washington Team Defense

Defensively, the Capitals struggled after taking a 2-1 lead late in the first period, allowing three unanswered goals to the Hurricanes. Two of those came in the second period, and the final one was an empty-netter with nine seconds left in the third. Goalie Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage, but the defense gave up 44 shots on goal and managed just two takeaways.

Penguins vs Capitals Trends

  • Through their last ten road contests, the Penguins offense has averaged 3 goals per game while allowing an average of 4. Pittsburgh posted an overall record of 2-8 while going 5-5 ATS.
  • Washington has played well in their previous three home games, going 3-0 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 5 goals per game while allowing 2. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 2-1.
  • Going back to their previous ten games as the underdog, Washington has an puck line mark of 5-5 while going 5-5 straight up.
  • Through their previous five contests as the betting favorite, the Penguins have a strong record of 4-1. Their record vs the puck line in these matchups is 2-3.

Penguins vs Capitals Prediction

When making a moneyline pick, my choice is the Capitals to come out with a win against the Penguins while playing at home. Considering the moneyline odds at -170, I’m placing my bet on the Capitals to win outright.

If you’re looking for my recommendation on the puck line, I suggest taking the Penguins to cover. Even if the Capitals manage to win outright, this game is expected to remain competitive, and the Penguins should cover the puck line.

When considering the over/under line, which is currently at 6.5 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.