NHL Picks: How to Bet Battle of Nations' Capitals?

Washington Capitals at Ottawa Senators

The Capitals and Senators face off Thursday in a battle of the nations' capitals. There is always some tongue-in-cheek humor, but the one thing that could be a postmark of this game is goals.

Darcy Kuemper has struggled some in October with Washington, and Ottawa comes off a wild 7-5 home win against Boston, where the beer flowed freely until they ran out.

The big question revolves around pace. Does Washington get sucked into the pace that Ottawa can play? If so, then expect quite a few goals. As Claude Giroux said, the Senators are a young team, and momentum swings “are something that just will happen often.” 

That has swung Ottawa’s way. The Senators stand as a 1.83 favorite; even their win-in-regulation number works at 2.19. Forsberg still has not seen overtime this season, which is good news for sports bettors.

Bettors should look at a moneyline like this. The puckline (-1.5 goals) is at 2.97 but relying on Ottawa to win is too risky. The values are challenging. Betting can always be an adventure with youth-centralized teams.

Look around to see where the value lies in player props from this game. Giroux to get one assist or more is at 2.40. Giroux and the Ottawa power play could have a good time against a Washington team that likes to frequent the penalty box. Some other props will appear on social media later but keep an eye on the anytime goals. Ottawa to win by one goal is at 8.50. These teams often play pretty close contests. It may be worth a tiny wager on the Canadian dollar.

Dallas Stars at Toronto Maple Leafs

With all seven Canadian teams in action tonight, it was rough to pick just a few. We saved a crazy one just for the readers. That is the Toronto Maple Leafs. It is just four games into the season, and Toronto fans are in a panic. Losing to Montreal and then Arizona will cause people not to “plan the parade.” 

This seems to occur often in Toronto. It gets off to slow starts in October. No one is truly sure of the cause. It might have to do with its postseason problems, but that is for another time. The Maple Leafs will get a stern test from the Dallas Stars, who look like they have two scoring lines and depth. Add Jake Oettinger in goal, and the Maple Leafs have their work cut out. 

The question is, how does that translate for goals tonight? Toronto often gets up for competition, and after Tuesday night, the fans will not be happy if they have 13 shots through 40 minutes again. Expect a much better “foot forward” from Toronto tonight. 

The entertainment factor, again, is almost a guarantee. Auston Matthews, anytime goal scorer, is practically even. An interesting parlay is Matthews netting two goals, with Toronto winning and the total going Over 5.5 goals. That comes in at 6.50. Even the Maple Leafs to win in regulation is just about 2.00. These numbers might not last. 

For the Stars, a Jason Robertson anytime goal is 2.50, and Roope Hintz is at 2.75. Instead, consider Joe Pavelski at 3.2 or even Tyler Seguin at 3.50. The older veterans have looked great in the early going so far.

Arizona Coyotes at Montreal Canadiens

Montreal is home to Arizona tonight from the Bell Centre. Both teams often struggle with defense and special teams. 

Surprisingly, this game has not seen the Over push to 7.0. That Over 6.5, around 1.91, is worth a look if it does not shorten much more. Cole Caufield, anytime goalscorer at 2.30, is an excellent bet, and Clayton Keller at 2.55.

The puckline is a bit risky, so we will stay clear. 

Some Random Wagers For Sports Bettors Tonight

Here are some early ideas:

• Parlay - Canadiens, Bruins, Rangers to win - 3.40
• Vegas Puckline over Winnipeg (-1.5 goals) - 2.20
• Claude Giroux  Over 0.5 assists - 2.40
• Flames to win by two goals - 5.50

Good luck, and take a look at our previews and much more. Thanks for reading!

Numbers are via Sports Interaction and BetMGM.

Winnipeg Held The Fort Wednesday

Winnipeg surprised a few people with its 4-3 win in Colorado. There is a bit of a concern with young Nik Ehlers, but Neal Pionk scored twice as the Jets topped the Avalanche in overtime. 

Now, the Jets have been scoring a few more goals than expected. It will be interesting to see how they progress through October.