Category: NHL

NHL Free Pick: Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Hockey betting fans sure are getting their money’s worth from the free nhl picks we give out here at Capperspicks.com.

Team records:
Washington: 31-12-6
Pittsburgh: 31-19-1

Tonight, 7:30 p.m. ET
Sportsbook odds: Capitals -110, Penguins -110

Few if any matchups get hockey fans pumped up these days like Washington/Pittsburgh can. Amazingly, the defending Stanley Cup champs aren’t even hometown favorites tonight. The Caps have simply been that good this season, home and away. They’ve won seven of eight, scoring at least four goals in seven of those games. Alex Ovechkin is somehow “quietly” on a career-best points scoring pace and Nicklas Backstrom continues to blossom, adding goal scoring to a talent repertoire many scouts once compared to Peter Forsberg’s. Even Jose Theodore has managed to get hot in goal spelling injured Semyon Varlamov; Theo is 5-1 with a 2.10 goals against average and .936 save percentage this month.

The Pens have finally started to find their groove again, winning three of four. Tuesday night’s win over the Islanders may have been their most encouraging all season. The reason: Evgeni Malkin got a hat trick, finally breaking his lengthy slump. Sidney Crosby, who is scoring goals like never before, had six points. The win also marked the first time ever that Malkin and Crosby scored multiple goals in the same game.

The Caps are unquestionably the better hockey team right now but that may not be the case for long. If Malkin is truly back, the Penguins could become unstoppable again. The Pens will get up for the game tonight and have won four of the last five meetings.

Pick the champs.

NHL Betting Trends:

Washington is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington’s last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Washington’s last 7 games when playing on the road against Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington’s last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh’s last 5 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Pittsburgh’s last 7 games when playing at home against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh’s last 6 games when playing Washington
Pittsburgh is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington

Pick: Penguins -110

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Shea Matthews lives and breathes sports. He made the transition from athlete to sports journalist at a young age, writing in TV & national newspapers. He now applies his knowledge to sports betting and handicapping every day, and shares his winning picks with the world.