Bruins vs Capitals Prediction, Best Bets, Props & Odds (Wednesday, Oct. 8)

• The Capitals are -190 moneyline favorites over the Bruins in their season opener on Wednesday night
• Washington finished second in the NHL in goals scored last season, while Boston ranked 27th
• See my Bruins vs Capitals predictions below, plus odds and props for Opening Night

NHL Opening Week rolls on Wednesday night with a handful of games, and the Capitals host the Bruins in what should be a mismatch in Washington.

Action gets underway at 7:30 pm ET from Capital One Arena, with TNT providing the broadcast coverage.

Bruins vs Capitals Prediction

My Bruins vs Capitals prediction leans heavily into the offensive gap between these clubs. Washington posted a 51-22-9 record last season and finished second in the league with 286 goals scored. Boston stumbled to 33-39-10 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

The Caps finished with a plus-57 goal differential and won their first playoff series since 2018. Boston went the other direction with a minus-49 goal differential, ranking 27th in goals scored and 26th in goals allowed.

Spencer Carbery won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year, and Ovi is still doing Ovi things – just three goals away from 900. David Pastrnak had 43 goals and 106 points for the Bruins, but he got very little help. Morgan Geekie was second on the team with just 33 goals.

The big storyline is Jeremy Swayman. He held out and missed all of training camp before the 2024-25 season, signing an eight-year, $66 million deal just two days before opening night. He struggled badly last year with a 3.11 GAA and .892 save percentage – career-worst numbers. This season he got a full camp, but there’s no guarantee he’ll bounce back against a Capitals attack that averaged 3.5 goals per game.

Washington will likely start Logan Thompson, who posted a 31-6-6 record with a 2.49 GAA and .910 save percentage last year. Boston’s offense managed just 2.7 goals per game last season, and their power play was brutal at 15.22 percent (29th in the league). Washington scored 52 power-play goals compared to Boston’s 35.

The Bruins also have a new coach in Marco Sturm, making his NHL head coaching debut. The former Bruin is emphasizing up-tempo play, but implementing a new system against a Stanley Cup odds contender is tough. Boston went 13-25-3 on the road last season, while Washington was 26-9-6 at home.

Bruins vs Capitals Best Bets

• Moneyline: Capitals (-190)
• Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-110)

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The Capitals are the right side here. They finished second in goals scored last season and won a playoff series. Boston missed the postseason and looks lost on both ends of the ice.

Swayman posted a 22-29-7 record last year. While he’s back for a full training camp this season, Washington has enough firepower to exploit any lingering issues. The Bruins ranked 27th in goals scored and did nothing to fix it. Pastrnak can’t carry this offense alone.

My best bet is Capitals moneyline at -190. You’re laying juice, but this is a spot where the better team takes care of business at home on Opening Night.

I’d also take over 5.5 goals. Washington went over in 49 of 92 games last season, while Boston did it in 43. These teams combined to score 6.2 goals per game last year, nearly a full goal above tonight’s total.

If you want value, Capitals -1.5 at +125 is solid. Washington won by multiple goals plenty last season, and this Bruins team doesn’t have the firepower to keep it close.

Bruins vs Capitals Props Pick

With Washington’s offensive talent, I like targeting player props on the Capitals side. Here are the anytime goalscorer odds:

Anytime Goalscorer Odds

Player props odds as of Oct. 8 at Bet365 Sportsbook. Maryland bettors should check out Bet365 Maryland for the largest selection of Capitals prop bets.

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Alex Ovechkin at +115 is always a threat at home, especially against a Bruins defense that allowed 3.3 goals per game. Ovi scored 44 goals in just 65 games last year despite missing time with a broken fibula. He’s three goals from 900, so motivation won’t be an issue. Betting against this guy historically doesn’t work.

Tom Wilson at +200 offers value. He had his first 30-goal season last year with 33 tallies. Dylan Strome at +230 led the Caps with 82 points and centers the top line.

On the Bruins side, Pastrnak at +135 is the only weapon you can trust. He’s one of three players in franchise history with three straight 100-point seasons. In three games versus the Capitals last season, he fired 12 shots and netted two goals. But he’ll need to be superhuman against a Caps defense that ranked eighth in goals against.

Bruins vs Capitals Odds

Washington is currently a -190 moneyline favorite and is laying 1.5 goals on the puck line at +125 odds. Boston comes back as a +155 underdog, while the total sits at 5.5.

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Odds as of Oct. 8th at BetMGM. Check out the BetMGM promo code for a bonus to bet on the NHL tonight.

Per the NHL odds, the total sits at 5.5 for this contest. You can find slightly different numbers shopping around, but both teams should find the back of the net. Washington averaged 3.5 goals per game last season while Boston allowed 3.3.