Early in this season, the Washington Capitals and the Vancouver Canucks have to be pleased with their results. Both squads expect to make the playoffs, and so far, so good. Now they’ll battle in an inter-conference matinee on Sunday.
For Sunday’s game, the Capitals have the edge at -162 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Panthers are listed at +136. The total is set at 5.5 goals. Let’s get into a preview, prediction and pick for this matchup.
Capitals vs. Canucks preview, prediction
After an opening day loss to the Boston Bruins, the Capitals have ripped off four wins in a row to set their season on the right path. Washington won the Metropolitan Division last year, and will hope for the same this year. If they keep getting a breakout performance from Aliaksei Protas, this team can do some serious damage in the East.
Already a deep team, getting breakout performances from a bottom-six forward could change the dynamic of this squad. I’ll be watching to see if Protas can keep it up.
Vancouver hoped to get into the playoff mix last season but came up just short. However, with a young core and some good veteran additions, it could put forth a strong case this year. When you have Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, it’s hard to place limits on your growth.
Capitals vs. Canucks pick, best bet
It’s an exciting stylistic battle between these two teams. Washington wants to set the tone defensively while its incredible offensive depth gets it done. The Canucks have a few high-end offensive talents and a great goaltender in Thatcher Demko, but not much defense as of yet.
I think this matchup will produce a lot of goals. It should end in a Washington victory, but Pettersson, Brock Boeser, and Hughes won’t be kept down.
