The Washington Capitals will look to bounce back off of a disappointing loss last time out, as they travel to the Enterprise Center this Friday to take on the Blues. The Blues are a tough nut to crack, however, as they have also been on a nice run as of late, winning 7 of their last 10 games. They also have the style which can frustrate a high-paced offensively-minded Capitals team. It would also be best if the Capitals did not take penalties if they want to come out victorious in this one, as the Blues are tied for first in the league in power-play conversions at 30.2%.
Washington Capitals Betting Preview:
It is time to start wondering if Alex Ovechkin is actually getting better with age, as he is having one of his best starts to a season with 24 goals and 26 assists this campaign. It is interesting to see how Ovechkin’s assists go up when Backstrom is not around, and Backstrom’s goals go up when Ovechkin is not around, which is exactly what has happened with Ovechkin being injured last year. Backstrom being out for much of this season. The Capitals now have both parts of their dynamic duo back on the ice, and Backstrom has also hit the ground running with a few nice performances since returning from injury.
, they will go up against a tough blueline here, but the Blues have been leaking goals this year. That mostly has to do with their goaltending situation, so this could be another spot for yet another explosive performance from the key Capitals offensive pieces. We do not yet have a starting goalie for the Capitals for Friday’s game, and it can be tough at times to know who they will go with, as the team’s management has decided to split the playing time 50/50 between Samsonov and Vanecek essentially. What makes things even tougher for the coaching staff is that both guys have basically identical statistics outside of the wins column.
Washington was very disappointing in their last game, though, as they really should have been able to get the better of the Devils in front of their home fans. Instead, they fell 4-3 and were actually outplayed for plenty of that game, so they do not have many excuses for that performance. This high-quality team is clearly one of the favorites for the Stanley Cup, so I would be on the lookout for a much better performance from them here on Friday evening.
St. Louis Blues Betting Preview:
There are not too many people touting the Blues as legitimate contenders this year, but you feel like if they could get their goalie situation together, they could be dangerous. Much like Friday’s opponents, their last game was very disappointing, losing to the Penguins by a final score of 5-3. They took a ton of penalties in that game, racking up 22 total minutes in penalties, so it is tough to judge their overall performance. Once again, I would expect this team to come into this game fired up to get back into the win column, so I think we see two highly motivated teams for this one.
Vladimir Tarasenko once again has been the main offensive weapon on this team, but luckily for him, he has plenty of help with Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich having great starts to the season. Jordan Kyrou at the center has looked particularly good with 13 goals and 20 assists, and he looks like one for the future if he can keep anything close to this pace throughout the season.
The best thing the Blues have going for them is the fact that they are healthy, as they do not have a single-player whose status is questionable for this one. Look for the Blues to try and match the speed and skill of the Capitals and for this one to likely be a fun one to watch for the neutrals.
Washington Capitals vs. St Louis Blues Betting Prediction:
This game has over-written all over it, as I do not think the Blues will be able to slow down the Capitals, especially with their questionable goaltending situation. On the other side of the equation, I can see the Blues surprising some people with their goal output, as people still seem to think this offense is sup par even though it has been great all season long. The Capitals tend to let goals in at the back, and the Blues can take advantage here. The overall tempo of this game should also be quite high and should lead to more shots and overall goal-scoring opportunities.
BetUSASports Free Pick:
Washington Capitals vs. St Louis Blues Betting Verdict: Over the total
Washington Capitals vs. St Louis Blues Final Score Prediction: 5-4 Washington
