Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals Betting Pick & Prediction 11/8/24

Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Penguins versus the Capitals? The puck drops at 7:30 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. This Metropolitan division matchup has an over/under of 6.5 goals, and the Capitals are favored by -1.5 at home vs. the Penguins.

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS WASHINGTON CAPITALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Washington Capitals -1.5

This game will be played at Capital One Arena at 7:30 ET on Friday, November 8th.

WHY BET THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS:

• With the Capitals being favored by 1.5, our NHL analytics models has this one playing out 4-3 in favor of the Capitals.
• Take the Capitals on the moneyline
• On the spread, we like Penguins (+1.5)

Is a Road Win Possible for the Penguins?

With a 3-1 win over the Canadiens, the Penguins improved their record to 5-8-2. Pittsburgh covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total for the game was set at 6.5 goals, but the combined score of 4 fell short of that mark.

Sidney Crosby scored the first two goals for the Penguins, with Blake Lizotte adding an empty-netter to seal the victory. The Penguins kept the Canadiens off the board until the third period, when Montreal scored at 14:28.

Sidney Crosby was the offensive catalyst for Pittsburgh in their 3-1 victory over Montreal, scoring twice on his three shots on goal. Crosby netted his fourth goal of the season in the first period and added a fifth on a power play in the second. Blake Lizotte contributed with his second goal of the year, an empty-netter with 45 seconds left in the game.

The Penguins fired 24 shots on goal but also recorded 14 giveaways. They scored once in each period, with Crosby’s first goal coming at 4:03 in the first. His second followed at 1:20 into the second period.

Defensively, the Penguins will look to build on their last performance, where they gave up just one goal to Montreal. Alex Nedeljkovic finished with 25 saves and a 96.2% save percentage, while the Penguins’ defense added 5 takeaways and 19 hits.

Will the Capitals Live Up to Expectations at Home?

After a 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Capitals are now 9-3-0 this season. Washington’s defense struggled, allowing 44 shots on goal. The Capitals trailed 1-0 before Alex Ovechkin tied it up at 19:16 in the first period. They briefly took the lead with another goal at 19:49, but the Hurricanes responded with three unanswered goals.

The total for the game was set at 6 goals, and the combined score hit that number exactly. Washington was the underdog on the puck line, and the loss in regulation meant they didn’t cover. Both of the Capitals’ goals came in the first period, but they couldn’t find the net again.

Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season on a power play, while Brandon Duhaime followed with his 2nd goal. The Capitals took 21 shots on goal but were held scoreless after the first period.

Washington recorded 15 giveaways and added 3 assists. Dylan Strome picked up his 13th assist on Ovechkin’s goal, and John Carlson earned his 7th assist.

Defensively, the Capitals struggled after taking a 2-1 lead, giving up three unanswered goals to the Hurricanes—two in the second period and one more in the third. Despite the loss, Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage. Washington’s defense also contributed 20 hits and 2 takeaways.