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NHL Free Pick: Capitals vs. Flames Betting Odds & Handicapping Preview

NHL: Washington vs Calgary Pick

NHL action this Saturday features a match up between the Washington Capitals (3-1-2) and the Calgary Flames (5-3-1) at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Cappers Picks will provide free NHL picks all season so check back in often.

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Washington vs. Calgary
When: Saturday, Oct 25 2014 at 10:00 pm ET
Where: Scotiabank Saddledome
TV: CBC
NHL ATS Gambling Line: Capitals -1.5
NHL O/U Line: 5.5
***2014 BONUSES***
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Click here to view today’s… ATS Matchup Insight | CP Insider Gambling Preview

The Washington Capitals continue their western Canada road swing on Saturday night in the second half of Hockey Night in Canada. The Caps have had a pretty tepid start but still sit in third place in a pretty weak Metropolitan Division.

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The Flames have gotten off on the right foot this season and are currently in third place in hockey’s toughest division – Pacific – and are looking to build towards contention in the always tough Western Conference.

Capitals

The Caps’ road trip out west did not start the way they had planned, falling 3-2 at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, who had just one win to their name before that game.

It’s tough to find fault in the Caps’ game against Edmonton as they were the better team for much of the contest, outshooting the Oilers by a 34-20 margin and managing more shots in all three periods. Oilers goalie Ben Scrivens was very good, Caps netminder Braden Holtby only managed to stop 17 of 20 shots.

Despite that performance, Holtby has been solid for Washington this year with a 2-1-1 record to go with a 2.13 GAA and .917 SV%. As is often the case with the Caps however, they go with Alexander Ovechkin. The great 8 didn’t find the net against the Oilers, marking the first time this season he’s gone two games in a row without registering a goal (he still has five goals in six games).

With Ovechkin slowing momentarily so too has the Caps’ goal scoring. Washington scored 15 goals in the last three games that Ovechkin scored, winning twice, and scored just four in their last two in a 2-1 win over Florida and the 3-2 loss to Edmonton.

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Flames

Calgary has been an early season surprise for many, getting off to a great start over their first nine games, claiming five wins, while dropping four –  one in OT. Goaltending has been a big reason for Calgary’s good start, as offseason acquisition Jonas Hiller has been brilliant with a .948 SV% and 1.78 GAA over his five starts.

This is an exciting team to watch and for those of us in the Eastern time zone who don’t get to see much of them, they’re worth staying up for.

A young forward group that is led by the likes of last year’s rookie standout Sean Monahan, along with 2014 Hobey Baker Award winner Johnny Gaudreau, this team, even under the eye of Brian Burke hasn’t gone the route of many Western teams, instead opting for team speed and skill over size and physicality.

Defensemen T.J. Brodie, captain Mark Giordano, Kris Russel and Dennis Wideman have pitched in from the back end with a staggering eight goals and 24 points already in just nine games. When you get that kind of point production from your defense it makes life a lot easier on your forwards.

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Capitals vs. Flames 4* Free Pick

The Flames destroyed a very bad Carolina team to the tune of 5-0 on Friday night. Hiller will be given the night off in the Calgary net in favour of Karri Ramo. Couple the back to back games and a pretty easy game last night and I think the Flames are due for a bit of an off night.

Add to that the Flames will be playing a hungry Washington team looking to atone for their loss to the Oilers.

Ovechkin is going to be eager to get back in the goal column and when he scores the Caps usually win. Go with Washington to win and cover the 1.5.

Check out our Updated NHL Odds.

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By Matt Durnan

A (self-proclaimed) fantasy sports guru since 2004 and a journalist since 2007. He has been offering unsolicited sports gambling advice to his circle of friends for years and has now put himself at the mercy of online readers everywhere. "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how much fun you have"... His hockey coach told him that when he was 7. His team lost every game that year.