Stars vs. Capitals prediction, odds, pick - 10/17/2024
The Dallas Stars are the top team in ClutchPoints' Week 2 Power Rankings after an undefeated start to the season. They'll take on the Washington Capitals as Alex Ovechkin and his team continue their homestand to begin the season. The Capitals are 1-1 to start the year. It's time to continue our NHL odds series with a prediction and pick for Stars-Capitals.
Here are the Stars-Capitals NHL odds , courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Stars-Capitals Odds
Dallas Stars: -1.5 (+175)
Moneyline: -150
Washington Capitals: +1.5 (-210)
Moneyline: +125
Over: 6 (+100)
Under: 6 (-122)
How To Watch Stars vs. Capitals
Time: 7 PM ET/4 PM PT
TV: Victory, MNMT
Stream: fuboTV ( Free Trial )
Why the Stars Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Stars have been flawless this season, winning their first four games by a combined 12-5 score. Their best stretch was the start of the road trip when they shut out the New York Islanders and Seattle Kraken on back-to-back nights. Jake Oettinger had a 34-save shutout, and then Casey DeSmith made his Stars debut with a 25-save shutout. The Stars' defense looked like it could be a question mark after losing Chris Tanev, but their blue line has been the most reliable in the league.
The Stars and Capitals have played six times since the 2021-22 season. Although the rosters have undergone some change, some of the core on both teams remain intact. The Capitals won that first meeting in 2021-22, but the Stars have won five consecutive games since then. These teams play each other close, as Dallas won both games 5-4 last season, one in a shootout and one in overtime.
Why the Capitals Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Capitals' offense looked good in their first two games of the season. They started the year with a 5-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils, where they matched them in shots and opportunities, but couldn't beat them on the scoresheet. Washington had a much tougher test in their second game but defeated the Vegas Golden Knights with a 4-2 score. The Stars' defense has been good, but their offense scored more than three goals just once this season. If the Capitals can maintain their offensive output, they may outscore the Stars and hand them their first loss.
Final Stars-Capitals Prediction & Pick
This matchup between the Stars and Capitals could be more of a defensive battle than you may think. Jake Oettinger has looked lights out in every start, owning a 1.63 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage. Both Capitals games have eclipsed the total, but it's hard to believe in their offensive unit. Washington played games against two teams who tried playing offensively and weren't afraid to allow goals. It'll be a different story for the Capitals when they must play Oettinger and the Stars in this game.
Charlie Lindgren didn't make the Capitals feel good about choosing him as their No. 1 goalie in his first start. He allowed four goals on 32 shots, which led to Washington losing the season-opener. Logan Thompson had a much better game in his matchup with his old team, stopping 24 of 26 shots for the victory. Lindgren should get the start here and must prove that the Capitals didn't make a mistake. He had a 2.67 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage in 50 games last season.
Take this game to go under like four of the past six meetings between these two teams.
