When the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins collide, it could decide a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Caps may have cooled off lately, but they’re still on track to take either third in the Metro or the Eastern Conference’s final wild-card bid. Of course, projected points are different from banking the real things. 2-1 against Pittsburgh this season, including a 6-0 win on March 7, Washington should feel good about this one.
Meanwhile, the Pens are riding a hot streak that has kept their season alive. If Pittsburgh wants a postseason appearance, they’ll have to go through a slew of Eastern Conference playoff teams. First up, a trip to Washington DC, the site of a 4-0 win early in the season.
Once again, these rivals have a huge matchup late in the season. Who will stand out in Thursday’s showdown?
Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Betting Odds
| Team | Puck Line | Total | MoneyLine |
| Penguins | -1.5
+215 |
O 6
-110 |
-112 |
| Capitals | +1.5
-265 |
U 6
-110 |
-108 |
| **Odds Courtesy of DraftKings and Subject to Change** | |||
Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins Match Details
- Fixture: Pittsburgh Penguins @ Washington Capitals
- Date and Time: Thursday, April 4, 2024, 7:00 p.m. EDT
- Location: Capital One Arena in Washington, DC
Apex Tale of the Tape
| Capitals | vs. | Penguins |
| 36-28-10 | Record | 34-30-11 |
| 2.69 | Goals Per Game | 2.99 |
| 26.7 | Shots Per Game | 32.8 |
| 10.1% | Shooting Percentage | 9.1% |
| 21.1% | Power Play | 14.8% |
| 46.5% | Faceoff | 54.8% |
| 585 | Penalty Minutes | 559 |
| 31.5 | Goals Against Per Game | 2.96 |
| 30.7 | Shots Against Per Game | 30.2 |
| .900 | Save Percentage | .905 |
| 78.6% | Penalty Kill | 81.6% |
| 6 | Shutouts | 7 |
Key Stats
Home Team
- T.J. Oshie is questionable for this game. Tom Wilson is eligible to return from suspension
- Washington is 31st in shots on goal per game
- Dylan Strome and Alex Ovechkin are tied for the team lead with 26 goals. Strome’s 62 points paces the Caps
- John Carlson leads Washington with 40 assists
- The Capitals are 2-2-1 in their last five
Away Team
- Goalie Tristan Jarry is questionable for this game
- Pittsburgh is 30th in power play percentage
- Sidney Crosby leads the Penguins in goals (39), assists (45), and points (84)
- The Pens are 4-0-1 in their last five
Match Prediction
Although the road team is undefeated in three tries this season, Washington will break that streak on Thursday. The Capitals have only had two losing streaks longer than three games all season, so their current skid should snap. They’ve also been much better in Capital One Arena all year, while the Penguins haven’t traveled well for the most part.
Head to head, the Caps have outscored Pittsburgh 10-3 in 2024. Even with their hot stretch, the Pens have allowed 3.78 goals per game since March 1. Roll with the home team in Thursday’s massive Metropolitan Division matchup.
Final Pick
Washington Capitals ML (-108)
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Follow Andre on Twitter at @TowerTalkSports. You can also reach out to Andre Ifill via email at andre.ifill.jr@gmail.com. For Andre’s hockey talk, listen to this podcast every weekday. Andre also discusses the NFL, NBA, and MLB here. You can read and follow Andre’s betting picks at Winners and Whiners or read more of his stuff here on Total Apex Sports. He has spent years writing, talking, and picking sports professionally at the highest level.
