Avalanche vs Capitals Prediction, Prop Picks, Odds & Start Time for Sunday Afternoon Hockey (Mar. 22)

• Colorado is -160 on the road and has won 6 of the last 7 meetings against Washington
• The under has hit in 5 of the Capitals’ last 5 games and in 5 of 6 Avalanche Sunday games
• See my Avalanche vs Capitals prediction, prop picks, odds and start time for Sunday afternoon hockey

The league-leading Colorado Avalanche (45-13-10) visit Capital One Arena on Sunday afternoon to face a Washington Capitals (35-27-8) team fighting to stay in the NHL playoff bracket. The Caps sit six points out of a wildcard spot with 12 games left, while Colorado already clinched a postseason berth on March 18.

Puck drop is set for 12:30 pm ET from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Let’s get into my Avalanche vs Capitals prediction, prop picks and NHL odds for Sunday afternoon hockey.

Avalanche vs Capitals Prediction

• Avalanche ML (-160 at Fanatics)

Colorado is 7-1 on the road over their last eight and 7-1 as a favorite over that same stretch. Washington is 1-8 in their last nine against teams with a winning percentage above .600 and just 2-7 in their last nine against the Central Division.

The Avs have also won 6 of the last 7 head-to-head meetings, including a 5-2 win in Washington back in January.

Avalanche vs Capitals Key Stats

The Avs lead the NHL in goals for, goals against, and shots per game. They also rank second in save percentage and opponent shooting percentage. Washington has been solid defensively at home, but the Capitals are 5-13 in their last 18 games following a win, and Colorado is a different animal on the road this season at 22-7-5.

My Avalanche vs Capitals prediction is on the road favorite at -160.

Avalanche vs Capitals Prop Picks

One from each side for my Avalanche vs Capitals prop picks this afternoon.

• Anthony Beauvillier Over 1.5 Shots on Goal (-148 at Caesars)

Beauvillier has cleared 1.5 shots in 8 straight home games against top-10 scoring defenses and in 7 of his last 8 home games against opponents with a winning record.

Colorado ranks first in goals against per game, but allows 26.21 shots, so the Caps will get their looks. Beauvillier skating on the top line alongside Ovechkin and Strome gives him the ice time to cash this.

• Sam Malinski Under 1.5 Shots on Goal (+115 at DraftKings)

Malinski has stayed under 1.5 shots in 7 of his last 8 road games following a win and in 6 of his last 7 road games against top-10 scoring defenses. The third-pair defenseman averaged just 0.38 shots per game in that post-win road sample.

Plus money on a trend hitting at 88% is a good spot to close out my Avalanche vs Capitals prop picks.

Avalanche vs Capitals Odds

Odds as of Mar. 22. The FanDuel promo code has a sign-up offer for new bettors looking to wager on Sunday afternoon hockey.

Colorado’s -160 moneyline at Fanatics carries roughly a 62% implied probability, while Washington’s best price is +140 at Caesars.

The puck line has the Avs at -1.5 (+164) at DraftKings and the Caps at +1.5 (-175). The total is split between books at O 6 (-115) and U 6.5 (-130).

Avalanche vs Capitals Start Time & Goalies

Puck drop for Sunday afternoon hockey is set for 12:30 pm ET / 10:30 am MT from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

Mackenzie Blackwood is the projected starter for Colorado after a 4-1 win over Chicago on Thursday where he stopped 19 of 20 shots. The 29-year-old carries a 19-8-1 record with a 2.43 GAA and .907 save percentage in 31 starts.

Logan Thompson gets the nod for Washington. He’s been busy, appearing in 48 games this season with a 2.36 GAA and .915 save percentage. Thompson has been sharp in his last two starts, allowing just two goals combined against Ottawa and New Jersey.

Avalanche vs Capitals Goalie Stats

Colorado will be without Gabriel Landeskog (lower body) and Artturi Lehkonen (upper body). Ross Colton (upper body) is day-to-day. Washington has no injuries reported.