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Devils vs Capitals: Metropolitan Division derby
The New Jersey Devils are visiting the Washington Capitals on Wednesday night at Capital One Arena in a matchup between two Metropolitan Division rivals.
Are the Devils a playoff team?
The New Jersey Devils are currently 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 19-14-2 record. They are very solid on the road, winning 11 of 16 games so far in the season. After winning three straight games, the Devils lost 5-2 in the last game against the Boston Bruins. New Jersey is on top of the league with 30.3% power play conversion and is ranked 7th with 3.46 goals per game. Jack Hughes leads the team with 44 points and has scored 15 goals, as many as Tyler Toffoli.
The Capitols ended the losing streak
The Washington Capitals are 8th in the Eastern Conference with an 18-11-6 record. They have a -17 goal differential, which is pretty uncommon for a team with a winning record. After losing four straight games, the Capitals bounced back with a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in the last game. Washington is the second-worst scoring team in the league, averaging only 2.34 goals per game. Defensively, they are much better being ranked 10th in the league, allowing 2.8 goals per game. Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome lead the team with 22 points each.
Betting Trends
The Devils have played over the total goal margin in 4 of the last 5 games overall, in 12 of their last 16 games against Metropolitan Division rivals and in 7 of the last 9 games against the Capitals.
Player to watch
The Devils’ left winger, Jesper Bratt, is second on the team with 43 points. Recently, in the 6-2 win over the Ottawa Senators, Bratt scored a goal and had three assists in less than 17 minutes spent on the ice.
Injury Report
Timo Meier is out for the Devils while the Capitals will play without Charlie Lindgren.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams need this win desperately, as they are hoping to climb up in the Eastern Conference standings. The Devils are in better form, even though they are coming off a loss. These two teams traditionally play with a lot of scoring, and in two of their last three matchups, there have been at least eight goals. The total goal line is set at 6.5 and the Devils and the Capitals will most likely go over it.
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