The Pittsburgh Penguins (34-30-11) travel to face off against the Washington Capitals (36-28-10) on Thursday, April 4th. 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 Sabres. Puck drop is set for 7:00 ET.

Penguins vs Capitals

The Pittsburgh Penguins Are Coming Off A Win

On the year, Pittsburgh has gone 34-30-11 and is in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. In games against other teams from the East, the Penguins are 20-24. When playing on the road, Pittsburgh has gone 14-17-7 and has won two straight games away from home. Over their last 10 games, the Penguins have gone 5-5.

As the favorite this year, Pittsburgh has gone 22-15-7, and they have been favored in 44 of their 75 games. In the Metropolitan Division, the Penguins are in 6th place.

On the road this season, the Penguins have gone 18-20 vs. the puck line and 35-40 overall. Their average scoring margin on the road is -.2 goals per game.

So far, Pittsburgh has been the favorite in 44 games, going 17-27 vs. the puck line in those games. Overall, the team has 24 wins by multiple goals and 10 wins by just one goal.

Facing the Devils in their last game, the Penguins won by a score of 6-3. In the 3rd period, the Penguins found the net five times against the Devils after their one goal in the first period. Of Pittsburgh’s six goals, one were scored while in power play situations. Their game ended with 21 shots on goal and four giveaways.

Despite being the underdog, Pittsburgh managed to secure a win against the puck line in the game. The over/under line going into the game was 6.5 goals, which the teams surpassed with their combined 9 goals.

The Washington Capitals Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

At home this season, the Capitals have gone 20-11-6, and they have been the underdog in 55 of their 74 games. In the Eastern Conference, Washington is in 8th place and 4th in the Metropolitan Division. Over their last ten games, the Capitals have gone 6-4, and they have lost their last three games. So far this season, Washington has gone 36-28-10.

During the year, the Capitals have been the favorite in 19 games, and they have gone 14-3-2 in those games. In games against other Eastern Conference teams, Washington has gone 21-21. Over their last five games, the Capitals have gone 2-3.

Washington enters the game with a puck line record of 36-38 and an average scoring differential of -.5 goals per game. They have gone 18-26 in games decided by more than one goal.

As the underdog, the Capitals have a puck line mark of 31-24, including going 2-3 against the puck line in their last five games. In their last ten games at home, Washington has gone 7-3 vs. the puck line.

In their most recent game, the Capitals fell to the Sabres on the road by a score of 6-2. Offensively, the Capitals registered one goal during the first period and one time in the second period. Of Washington’s two goals, one were scored while in power play situations. Their game ended with 26 shots on goal and two giveaways.

Entering the game as the underdog, Washington not only suffered a straight-up loss but also failed to cover the puck line. The teams surpassed the over/under line, which was set at 6 goals, with a combined total of 8 goals.

Pittsburgh Offense Breakdown

Offensively, the Penguins come into the game at 3 goals per contest placing 21st in the NHL. In terms of shots on goal per game, they are in 6th position in the league. The Penguins went 20-18 in games where they had more shots than their opponents. However, in games with fewer shots on goal, their record was 13-11.

This season, the Penguins have an over/under record of 32-38-5. Throughout last season, they played 33 games that did not exceed the 6 over/under line. On average, their games featured 6.4 goals per game.

Capitals Offense Breakdown

On the offensive side, the Capitals are scoring an 2.7 goals per game this season, ranking 28th in the NHL. When it came to shots on target per game, they are 31st in the league. Washington’s offense comes into the game ranked 20th in power play goals. And in terms of shorthanded goals, they are 32nd in the NHL.

The Capitals come in with an over/under record of 34-37-3. Over the course of the season, they have had 35 games failing to surpass the 6 goal over/under line. The average number of goals in their games is at 6 per game.

Pittsburgh Team Defense

Defensively, the Penguins are currently 13th in goals allowed. On average, opponents are taking 30.2 shots per game against Pittsburgh. They also are 1st in shutouts, coming in with 7 shutouts.

Washington Team Defense

Defensively, the Capitals come into the season ranked 14th in goals allowed. Opponents are averaging 30.7 shots per game against Washington. For the season, they are ranked 7th in shutouts, coming in with 6 shutouts.

Penguins vs Capitals Trends

• Pittsburgh has a 2-3 record in their last five road games. In this stretch, they averaged 4 goals per game while allowing 3. The team also performed well vs the puck line at 3-2.
• When looking at their past five home matchups, Washington has an puck line record of 3-2 while averaging 3 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
• Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Capitals have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 3-2.
• Going back to their previous ten games as the favorite, Pittsburgh has an puck line mark of 4-6 while going 6-4 straight up.

Penguins vs Capitals Prediction

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Penguins to take down the Capitals on the road. With the moneyline currently at -118, I’m placing my bet on the Penguins straight-up.

When it comes to my suggested pick for the puck line, I’d advise taking the Capitals to cover. Even in the event of a Penguins victory, this matchup is likely to remain closely contested, and the Capitals should cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6 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.