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Washington Capitals vs Colorado Avalanche: Both teams look solid in the first month of the season
The Colorado Avalanche are hosting the Washington Capitals today at Ball Arena in Denver.
The Capitals are starting a three-game road trip
The Washington Capitals are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 10-4-1 record, including 3-2-0 on the road. They have lost 3 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Capitals are second in the league scoring 4.13 goals per game and are ranked eighth allowing 2.93. Dylan Strome is the best player on the team with 23 points so far in the season.
The Avalanche are red-hot this week
The Colorado Avalanche are eighth in the Western Conference with a 9-8-0 record, including 6-5-0 at home. They have won the last three games and are coming off a 4-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Colorado is 10th in the league scoring 3.47 goals per game and are ranked 30th allowing 3.71. Nathan MacKinnon is the best player on the team leading the league with 26 assists and 33 total points.
Betting Trends
The Avalanche are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games overall, 2-7 SU in their last 9 games against teams from the Eastern Conference and 1-4 SU in their last 5 games against teams from the Metropolitan Division. Colorado has played over the total goal line in 6 of their last 9 games overall and 9 of their last 11 home games while have played under in 4 of their last 5 home games against Washington. The Capitals are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games overall, 1-4 SU in their last 5 games against Colorado, 8-0 SU in their last 8 games against teams from the Western Conference and 10-5 SU in their last 15 games played in November. Washington has played under the total goal line in 5 of their last 6 games against teams from the Central Division.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams have a promising start to the season but still have a long way to go to establish themselves as one of the best teams in the conference. The Avalanche are playing their best hockey of the season, winning the last three games. The Capitals started very strong, reaching the top of the East at one point, but recent struggles have seen them drop in the standings. They are starting a three-game West Coast road trip with a stop in Denver, where they haven’t won in the last two seasons. That will be a motivation factor for the Capitals, who are among the best offensive teams in the league and will take advantage of the Avalanche’s defense that is in the bottom three in the league. It will be a tight game, but we go with the Capitols winning on the road.
