Washington (3-2) at Columbus (2-3)
When: Monday, April 23rd 2018
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
Time: 7:30 ET | TV: CNBC
Opening Odds: Columbus -106/5.5
Open an Account at Bovada Sportsbook Now! Sign up at Bovada.lv to get up to a $250 Deposit Bonus and to bet all the Web’s best NHL Hockey odds and props!
The Washington Capitals knew they need to do something after dropping the first two games of their first round series at home to the Columbus Blue Jackets, or they would suffer yet another early postseason exit. Washington came back to Columbus for Game 3 and started veteran goalie Braden Holtby, and he’s turned aside 95 of 101 shots in the last three games – all Capitals victories – and now its the Blue Jackets who are feeling the pressure to stay alive. Columbus head coach John Tortorella – who never shies away from telling the media how he feels – guaranteed a win for his club in Game 6 after the overtime loss in Game 5. “I won’t have to say a damn word to (my team). We’ll be back here for Game 7,” Tortorella said right before walking out of the press room. Nicklas Backstrom capped a two-goal performance by scoring 11:53 into overtime in Saturday’s 4-3 win to give Washington a 3-2 series lead. Checking forward Matt Calvert (team-leading three goals) recorded his second career two-goal performance in the playoffs in Game 5 and Alexander Wennberg added an assist in his first game of the series, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Columbus’ third straight setback. Columbus connected on four of their eight power plays in the first two games, but have failed on their last 13 chances over the past three, while the Capitals are 8-for-24 with the man advantage in the series.
Backstrom also added an assist to cap a three-point performance to move into a tie with defenseman John Carlson with a team-leading eight points in the series. Evgeny Kuznetsov scored his fourth goal in Game 5 to pass Alex Ovechkin for the team lead in that category. Ovechkin was held off the scoresheet for the first time since the series opener and saw his multi-point streak end at three games. Defenseman Matt Niskanen, who recorded 29 points in the regular season, has just one point in the series (Game 3 assist).
[ad id=’64425′]
Oliver Bjorkstrand scored the lone goal in the third period in Game 5, but Columbus was unable to take advantage of a 16-1 shooting edge in the final period. The Blue Jackets inability to score on the man-advantage is nothing new to this club, as they finished the regular season ranked 25th on the power play at 17.2%. Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had a .900 save percentage or better in each of the first four games before allowing four goals on 29 shots in Game 5. He has allowed three or more goals in seven straight games dating back to the regular season.
Washington has all the momentum in this series and their finally playing with some confidence. They have also won seven straight games on the road. I think there’s too much pressure on Columbus to win this game. I’ll take the Caps.
Pick: Capitals -115
- Capitals are 7-0 in their last 7 road games.
- Capitals are 6-0 in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Capitals are 15-5 in their last 20 overall.
- Capitals are 6-2 in their last 8 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Capitals are 23-8 in their last 31 Monday games.
- Capitals are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. Metropolitan.
- Capitals are 10-4 in their last 14 games following a win.
- Capitals are 72-29 in their last 101 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Capitals are 50-24 in their last 74 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Capitals are 67-33 in their last 100 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Blue Jackets are 4-0 in their last 4 Monday games.
- Blue Jackets are 11-4 in their last 15 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Blue Jackets are 2-5 in their last 7 overall.
- Blue Jackets are 2-6 in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Blue Jackets are 5-15 in their last 20 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Blue Jackets are 1-4 in their last 5 home games.
- Blue Jackets are 0-6 in their last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Over is 4-1 in Capitals last 5 games following a win.
- Under is 4-1 in Capitals last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Over is 6-2 in Capitals last 8 overall.
- Under is 3-1-1 in Capitals last 5 road games.
- Under is 6-2-1 in Capitals last 9 Monday games.
- Over is 18-7-1 in Capitals last 26 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 5-2-1 in Capitals last 8 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 4-0 in Blue Jackets last 4 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Over is 9-2 in Blue Jackets last 11 overall.
- Over is 4-1 in Blue Jackets last 5 Monday games.
- Over is 7-2 in Blue Jackets last 9 vs. Metropolitan.
- Over is 6-2 in Blue Jackets last 8 Conference Quarterfinals games.
- Over is 5-2 in Blue Jackets last 7 games playing on 1 days rest.
- Under is 5-2 in Blue Jackets last 7 home games.
- Over is 5-2 in Blue Jackets last 7 vs. Eastern Conference.
- Over is 5-2 in Blue Jackets last 7 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Under is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings in Columbus.
- Capitals are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Columbus.
- Capitals are 9-3 in the last 12 meetings.
- Over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
- Road team is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
