Devils vs Capitals Prediction, Odds & Saturday NHL Best Bets
By Juan Pablo Aravena in NHL Hockey
Published:
- New Jersey has outshot opponents 249-175 through seven games, yet its goal differential sits at zero
- Washington’s penalty kill has allowed just four goals on 24 chances heading into Saturday’s matinee
- Read below for my Devils vs Capitals prediction, odds and Saturday NHL best bets
The New Jersey Devils visit Capital One Arena on Saturday, October 17 for a 1 p.m. ET Metropolitan Division clash with the Washington Capitals. Both clubs bring identical 4-3-0 records into the afternoon.
They’ve taken very different routes to get there. New Jersey keeps piling up shots, while Washington keeps finding goals despite getting outshot.
Kalshi has this one priced close to a coin flip, but I see value on both the winner and the total. My Devils vs Capitals prediction and best bets are below.
Devils vs Capitals Prediction
- Capitals to Win (53¢ on Kalshi)
I’m backing Washington on home ice for my Devils vs Capitals prediction. The Caps contract costs 53¢, good for a 53% implied chance, and the numbers through seven games point their way.
New Jersey’s shot totals are hard to ignore. The Devils have fired 249 shots and allowed 175, a +74 margin. They still have just 23 goals for and 23 against, converting on about 9.2% of their shots.
Washington has done more with less. The Caps have 24 goals on 184 shots and own a +2 goal differential, even after being outshot 206-184.
Special teams tilt toward the home side, too. Washington’s penalty kill has allowed four goals on 24 chances (83.3%), while New Jersey’s kill has given up six on 21 (71.4%). That’s an opening for a Caps power play sitting at 3-for-19.
Washington is 3-1 at home, and New Jersey is 1-1 on the road. With both teams trying to gain early ground in the Metropolitan Division odds, I’ll side with the club that has protected its own building.
Devils vs Capitals Odds
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The Devils vs Capitals odds price Washington at 53¢ and New Jersey at 47¢, which makes the Caps roughly a 53% implied favorite. That’s a modest home bump for two teams with the same record.
The total carries more of a lean. The Under 6.5 trades at 55¢, about a 55% implied probability, while the Over sits at 47¢.
Devils vs Capitals Best Bets
- Under 6.5 Goals (55¢ on Kalshi)
My top Devils vs Capitals best bet is the Under 6.5. Games involving each team have averaged about 6.6 goals, so this line sits right on top of the sample. Dig into where those goals came from, and the Under looks better.
New Jersey’s 7-1 rout of the Rangers accounts for eight of the 46 goals in Devils games. Take that one out, and their other six games averaged about 6.3 goals, with New Jersey scoring just 16 times.
Washington doesn’t generate much volume either, averaging roughly 26 shots per game. A Caps power play that has converted three of 19 chances (15.8%) hasn’t been padding totals.
Both teams have also played low-event games recently. The Devils’ 4-1 loss to Ottawa and 4-1 win over Vancouver each finished with five goals. Washington’s 3-1 win over the Rangers and 4-2 loss to Carolina both landed at six or fewer.
Seven games is a small window, and a couple of high-scoring results are carrying these averages. I’ll grab the Under at 55¢ to round out my Devils vs Capitals best bets.
Devils vs Capitals Stats
The Devils vs Capitals stats through seven games show two teams arriving at the same record from opposite directions. New Jersey wins the shot battle, while Washington has the stronger penalty kill.
Devils vs Capitals Team Stats
Jack Hughes leads New Jersey with nine points, and Jesper Bratt has chipped in seven. Washington’s top producers are Alex Tuch and Ryan Leonard, with six points apiece.
The Devils went 3-2 over their last five, a run that included the 7-1 win over the Rangers and a 5-4 overtime win against Detroit. They also beat Vancouver 4-1 but dropped games to Ottawa (4-1) and Utah (5-3).
Washington also went 3-2 in that span, beating Montreal 5-4, the Rangers 3-1 and Pittsburgh 5-3. The Caps’ two losses came against Carolina (4-2) and Seattle (5-3).
Juan Pablo is a sports writer and betting analyst with over 15 years' experience in the industry. He is an expert in European and Latin American soccer, as well as NBA, MLB, NHL, NFL, college sports, and EuroLeague. He was born and raised in Chile and is fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese.
