Capitals vs Penguins Prediction, Player Props Picks, Odds & Starting Goalies

• The Pittsburgh Penguins are slight -125 home favorites when they host the Washington Capitals Saturday
• Washington is hanging on by a thread in the Eastern Conference Wild Card playoff picture
• Read below for my Capitals vs Penguins prediction, player prop picks the latest odds and starting goalies below

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There’s literally zero margin for error for the Washington Capitals (40-30-9, 16-19-4 away), who need to win their final three games and get a ton of help along the way to claim the second and final Wild Card in the East.

Their first opponent comes Saturday in the form of the playoff-bound Pittsburgh Penguins (41-22-16, 20-12-8 home) in the first of a home-and-home set.

The books like the Pens to do just that, picking them as the favorite in the NHL odds.

Action gets underway at 3pm ET at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, with ABC carrying the broadcast coverage.

Capitals vs Penguins Prediction

• Best Bet: Over 6.5 Goals (-105 at DraftKings)

These teams are trending on the high scoring, wide-open side of hockey right now, and the numbers backing the Over in this spot are why it’s my best Capitals vs Penguins bet, as they’re too overwhelming to ignore.

Pittsburgh’s games have been absolute shootouts lately, with the Over cashing in an incredible 16 of their last 18 contests. This offensive surge holds especially true on home ice, where the Over has hit in five of the Penguins’ last six home games as a favorite.

On the other side of the red line, Washington’s desperation has forced them to abandon defensive structure in search of goals. The Over has cashed in 11 of the Capitals’ last 16 games as an underdog and six of their last seven games overall.

These two have also lit the lamp frequently in their most recent head-to-head matchups, with the Over cashing in each of their last three meetings.

Throw in the Alexander Ovechkin-Sidney Crosby rivalry potentially coming to an end in these last two games, and I don’t expect two of the leagues premier showmen for the last two decades to go out with a whimper.

Capitals vs Penguins Odds

Odds as of April 11. The interactive table above will automatically update as the NHL odds move over the course of the day.

The Penguins enter this contest as the betting favorites at -125 on the moneyline, while a Washington road win pays out at +110 currently on DraftKings.

The Caps are getting 1.5 goals on the puckline at BetMGM, but at just -225 odds, while Pittsburgh winning by two or more goals pays out at +195 over at FanDuel.

The total is solid at 6.5 goals for both the Over and Under, with just a slight difference in payout odds, depending on where you lean.

Capitals vs Penguins Player Prop Picks

• Connor McMichael – OVER 0.5 Points (+120 at BetMGM): The Washington forward has recorded at least one point in four straight games when playing as an underdog. With his squad needing offensive production to keep their season alive, expect the hot hand in McMichael to see elevated deployment. For bettors looking to maximize their ROI, he has also registered an assist in four straight games as a ‘dog, with the Over 0.5 assists sitting at an enticing +200.

• Anthony Mantha – OVER 0.5 Points (+110 at bet365): Mantha has been a highly efficient offensive contributor for Pittsburgh down the stretch, and you’re getting great plus-money odds to back him. He has recorded a point in five of his last seven games. He’s doing it in 5-on-5 play against quality competition, registering a point in four of his last five matchups vs opponents with a winning record.

Capitals vs Penguins Goalie Comparison

While offensive firepower often dominates the headlines, the final outcome of this late-season matchup could be decided between the pipes. Based on current depth charts, the expected starting goaltenders are Logan Thompson for Washington and Arturs Silovs for Pittsburgh.

Logan Thompson has been the undisputed anchor for his squad this season, carrying a massive workload with 56 appearances and has a solid .912 save percentage and a 2.47 goals-against average.

Thompson has faced a a staggering 1,552 shots against. on the season, and still turned that into 29 wins with three shutouts.

Arturs Silovs is Pittsburgh’s primary backstop compiling a respectable 19-10-8 record, but a deeper look at the numbers and it looks like he’s the beneficiary of a potent offense that churns out 3.57 goals per game.. He holds just an .890 save percentage and a 2.99 GAA.