Rangers vs Capitals Odds & Prediction – Best Bet for Saturday Afternoon Hockey
- The New York Rangers are -140 road favorites over the Washington Capitals in an NHL afternoon game scheduled for Saturday, February 25
- This will be Washington’s second game since trading defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins
- The Capitals are 9-2 straight up in their last 11 home games when facing the Rangers
As they prepare to play host to the New York Rangers (33-16-7), the question must be asked about the Washington Capitals (28-26-6). Have they given up the ghost in terms of making the NHL playoffs?
Washington has lost six games in a row. On Thursday, the Capitals traded defenseman Dmitry Orlov and forward Garnet Hathaway to the Boston Bruins, the team with the NHL’s best record.
The Rangers are also scuffling of late. They’re 0-2-1 over the past three games. Still, oddsmakers are setting the Rangers as -140 away favorites. New York is 3-1-1 straight up through the club’s last five road games.
Rangers vs Capitals Odds
| Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Rangers | -1.5 (+185) | O 6 (-105) | -140 |
| Washington Capitals | +1.5 (-225) | U 6 (-115) | +118 |
Washington beat the Rangers 4-0 at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 27. The Capitals are 4-2 in the last six meetings with New York.
At Washington, the Caps own a 9-2 edge over the past 11 games between the two teams. The Rangers have dropped two straight games as the betting favorite.
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Puck drop is set for 1:00pm ET on Saturday, February 25 at the Capital One Center. ABC has the broadcast in the USA. Canadians can catch the action if they subscribe to the NHL package.
In the NHL public betting splits, 93% of handle and 67% of bets are with the Rangers at -1.5 in the puckline. Moneyline bettors are also backing New York with 51% of handle and 75% of bets.
When it comes to the total of six goals, the handle (94%) and bets (65%) are going with the over. The total has gone under in five of Washington’s last seven games. However, the Rangers have gone over in six of the last nine games.
The Rangers are the fourth betting choice in the Stanley Cup odds at +600.
Rangers Suddenly Struggling To Score
While the Capitals were making a big deal, speculation around the NHL is that the Rangers are on the verge of staging a blockbuster of their own. New York is supposedly close to adding former Hart Trophy winner Patrick Kane from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Figure it out. Get it done. Go get Patrick Kane. If you don’t, another Cup contending team in the East will. @NYRangers #NYR
— Linda Cohn (@lindacohn) February 24, 2023
Kane has scored seven goals and accounted for 10 points over the past four games. Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad is showing 8-3-11 totals in his last 10 games. But the club has scored just four goals while losing three games in a row.
Capitals Suffering Key Injuries
Washington defenseman John Carlson is questionable for this game due to a facial injury. Forwards Anthony Mantha (upper body injury), Carl Hagelin (hip) and Connor Brown (lower body injury) are all out.
Rangers vs Capitals Recent Results
| Date | Home-Away | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/05/2021 | NYR 2 WAS 4 | WAS | WAS | Push |
| 10/13/2021 | WAS 5 NYR 1 | WAS | WAS | Push |
| 02/24/2022 | NYR 4 WAS 1 | NYR | NYR | Under |
| 04/29/2022 | NYR 3 WAS 2 | NYR | WAS | Under |
| 12/27/2022 | NYR 0 WAS 4 | WAS | WAS | Under |
Washington welcomed back captain Alex Ovechkin for Thursday’s 4-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Ovechkin was missing for four games while in Russia mourning the death of his father.
Rangers vs Capitals Pick & Prediction
The Rangers have been outscored 11-4 during their 0-2-1 skid. They’ve enjoyed very little success playing in the nation’s capital in recent years.
Standing ovation for Ovechkin and "Ovi" chants as he makes his emotional return following the death of his father, Mikhail. pic.twitter.com/h1HRPQfvGi
— Sammi Silber 🏒 (@sammisilber) February 24, 2023
With just two goals in their last two games, the Rangers aren’t exactly playing electric hockey. At some point, the Capitals will be ending their skid. Now that he’s had a game to shake of the rink rust, look for Ovechkin to lead Washington to the win here.
Also keep in mind the total for the past five games between these two clubs has gone 0-3-2.
Pick: Washington Capitals Moneyline (+118)
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An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
