Penguins vs Capitals Prediction, Odds & Ovechkin Props (Friday, Nov. 8)

• The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Washington Capitals on Friday night
• We’ve made our Penguins vs Capitals prediction for Friday
• Read below for Penguins vs Capitals prediction and odds

The Pittsburgh Penguins head to the Capital One Arena to take on the Washington Capitals on Friday, November 8th at 7:30 PM ET. This Metropolitan Division battle will be broadcast live from Washington, D.C. on ESPN+.

Oddsmakers have set the Capitals as -185 home favorites, with the Penguins priced at +155 underdogs for this matchup. The puck drops at 7:30 pm ET.

Here is our Penguins vs Capitals prediction, along with NHL odds to consider.

Penguins vs Capitals Prediction

The Penguins and Capitals find themselves trending in opposite directions early in the 2024-25 season. Washington sits 3rd in the Metro with a 9-3-0 record, while Pittsburgh is 7th at 5-8-2. These rivals split their series last year, with the road team winning each game.

The Capitals have been led by their high-powered offense, averaging 4.08 goals per game (4th in NHL). Veterans Dylan Strome (4G, 15A) and Alex Ovechkin (8G, 8A) pace the attack, with youngsters like Connor McMichael (8G, 5A) and Aliaksei Protas (5G, 7A) also contributing.

Dylan Strome this season:

12 games played
— 4g | 15a | 19pts
— +12
— 0 hits (hasn't hit a player one time)
— leading the NHL in 5v5 points
— assisted on all 8 of Ovechkin's goals this season

130-point pace through the first month of the year. pic.twitter.com/tXEPFppos6

— Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) November 7, 2024

Pittsburgh’s core of Sidney Crosby (6G, 9A) and Evgeni Malkin (4G, 12A) are still producing, but depth scoring has been an issue. The Pens are averaging just 2.80 goals per game (22nd). Defensively, they’ve struggled mightily, allowing 3.80 goals against per game (29th).

In net, the Capitals are expected to start Charlie Lindgren (3-3-0, 2.70 GAA, .896 SV%). For the Penguins, Joel Blomqvist (2-4-0, 3.47 GAA, .909 SV%) is the likely starter with Pittsburgh on the second half of a back-to-back.

I predict a 5-2 win for the Capitals in regulation. Washington has been dominant at home, going 7-1-0 at Capital One Arena. The well-rested Caps should feast on a tired Pens team playing their 2nd game in as many nights.

There's just no slowing these two down 🔋

📺: Penguins vs. Capitals at 7:30pm ET on Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/5UNe1T7dgR

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 8, 2024

Washington’s explosive offense, led by a red-hot Ovechkin, will be too much for Pittsburgh’s porous defense and inconsistent goaltending to handle. The Pens also struggle to score on the road, averaging just 2.63 goals per game away from home (23rd).

The Capitals have a huge special teams advantage as well. Their power play ranks 1st at home (40.0%) while the Pens’ road PK sits 27th (73.3%). Look for Washington to strike with the man advantage.

While anything can happen in a rivalry game, the Capitals are simply the better team right now and matchup very well with Pittsburgh. Lay the -1.5 puck line and watch Washington roll at home.

Friday Hockey Picks:

• Capitals -1.5 Puck Line (+130 at ESPN)
• Over 6.5 Goals (-110)

Penguins vs Capitals Odds

The Washington Capitals are solid -185 favorites on the moneyline, implying a 64.9% win probability. The Penguins are +155 underdogs.

On the puck line, Washington is favored by 1.5 goals at +130 odds. Pittsburgh is a +1.5 goal underdog at -155.

The total is set at 6.5 goals, with both the over and under at -110. Considering Washington’s high-scoring offense and Pittsburgh’s defensive woes, the over is appealing here.

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Odds as of November 8, 2024 at ESPN Sportsbook.

Alex Ovechkin Player Props

Here are some notable Alex Ovechkin player props for Friday’s game:

Ovechkin comes in red hot, scoring goals in 5 straight games. He has 8 goals on a whopping 40 shots this season, including 15 shots in his last 3 games. Ovi is also producing at over a point-per-game pace with 16 points in 12 games.

I like Ovechkin to score and go over his shot and point totals against a vulnerable Penguins defense allowing 3.80 goals against per game. Fire away on the Ovi overs.