The Vegas Golden Knights have played exactly like everyone expected a Stanley Cup champion to so far in the 2023-24 campaign and will be looking to keep it rolling on Tuesday when they visit Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7 PM ET at Capital One Arena in DC. Vegas just hammered the San Jose Sharks 5-0 on Friday and comes in well-rested after a few days off. The Caps also won on Saturday, their second in a row. They beat the NY Islanders 4-1. Below, find the Golden Knights vs Capitals picks.
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Golden Knights vs Capitals Odds
By no surprise, the Golden Knights are a clear favorite here at -158 odds. The Caps come back at +141. The total in goals meanwhile is set at six. Vegas has absolutely dominated Washington in recent memory, winning five straight meetings dating back to 2020. However, two of the last three matchups were decided by a goal. There could be some value in the puck line.
Vegas is Thriving
Sometimes Stanley Cup winners take a step back the next season, especially if they make any roster changes. For Vegas, that's been far from the case. The defending champs have the most wins in the league with a 12-2-1 record, which puts them at the top of the Pacific Division and the Western Conference. The Golden Knights are rock solid on both ends of the ice, ranking fifth in goals scored and second in fewest goals allowed. Yes, it's early in the campaign, but they're looking like a legitimate contender again.
Vegas is 7-2-1 in their last 10 games and actually lost two in a row before getting back on track in a big way at home versus San Jose. Adin Hill registered his second shutout of the year while making 20 saves. Offensively, defenceman Alec Martinez scored twice while Alex Pietrangelo also had a goal and two assists in the 5-0 thrashing. The Golden Knights scored three of their goals in the final period to really break things wide open. The perfect way to end a mini-slump.
William Karlsson has been the leading source of offense, scoring eight and setting up another 10. Jack Eichel has six goals and nine assists, too. Jonathan Marchessault, who was key in the Cup run, is off to a bit of a slow start but his numbers aren't awful, scoring six and assisting three. There are so many weapons on this roster and the sky is truly the limit again. Another Cup appearance is very much possible.
Capitals Off to a Decent Start
For an organization with a history of success over the last 10-15 years, missing the playoffs in 2022-23 was considered a massive disappointment for the Caps. And to be honest, no one expected a lot out of them in 2023-24, despite Ovi still doing his thing. But, they're actually off to a respectable 7-4-2 start, good enough for third in the Metropolitan Division. Washington just won back-to-back games on the road, including a statement victory in New York.
Ovechkin led the way here with two goals, taking his tally to four on the season to go along with seven assists. The Caps went into the second tied 1-1 but took off, scoring three unanswered across the next two periods. Hunter Shepard got his second career NHL win in net, making 36 saves on 37 shots. DC is now 6-2-2 in their last 10 and continues to trend in the right direction.
It's actually hard to imagine their overall record is this decent, though. The Capitals are 31st in the league with a mere 2.31 goals per game. No one player is really shining. However, the blue line is only conceding 2.85 times per night, which is a major reason they're toward the top of the division. That solid defense will need to be at their absolute best against the Golden Knights, a team with a plethora of weapons, no matter what line. This will be a good test for Washington to see where they're at 13 games into the campaign. Hopefully, they can come out on the winning end for once against Vegas.
Golden Knights vs Capitals Picks
It's difficult to look past the head-to-head and Vegas is just simply too good. I expect them to take care of the Capitals. Like past meetings, it could be close so it's not a bad idea to take Washington ATS but definitely lock in the Golden Knights moneyline.
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