Welcome back to another edition of NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey reviews the scheduled games and offers insight and analysis to help predict who will win in key head-to-head matchups. Today, we preview the Washington Capitals vs Anaheim Ducks. Check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
NHL Predictions
Washington Capitals vs Anaheim Ducks
Head to Head: Capitals 1 – 0 Ducks
Time: 10:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
TV: SN; Victory+; MNMT; KCOP-13; ESPN+
The Ducks (28-28-7) host the President’s Trophy contender Washington Capitals (42-14-8) at Honda Center in Anaheim, California on March 11th. This is the second of two meetings this season between the interconference opponents. The Capitals shutout the Ducks 3 – 0 in Washington D.C. in mid-January. Defence was the theme of the game. Neither team generated many shots on goal, and the Capitals had two goals from defencemen. These two teams are both chasing a goal, but their targets are at different heights in the standings. The Capitals are battling the Winnipeg Jets for the President’s Trophy. Furthermore, hockey fans cannot tune into hockey news without hearing about the “Gr8 Chase”. Alex Ovechkin is sitting at 886 career goals, only 9 from passing Wayne Gretzky for the all-time lead. On the Ducks’ side of things, they are in a heated wild-card race in the West. As of March 10th, the Ducks are seven points out of the final wild-card playoff spot. This is crunch time, and the Ducks cannot afford to drop points down the stretch to keep their hopes alive.
Anaheim Ducks Looking to Climb Standings
The Ducks picked up a crucial two points against the New York Islanders on Sunday, March 9th. Not only was the win impressive and much-needed, but every recorded point for the team came from a player under the age of 23. Additionally, Sam Colangelo is on fire right now. He has five goals in the Ducks previous four games. This streak is so impressive that fans and the media are starting to refer to him as Sam “Goal”-angelo. Unsurprisingly, his line with Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier is generating a ton of offence. Fans and media must love nicknames when players are playing well since this line has started to garner naming interest as well. Some of the options are “Mac and Cs”, “The Kid Line”, and “GMC”. Sounds like their preference is “The Kid Line”, but we’ll see if that sticks. To drive the point home, Mason McTavish leads the team with six points over the previous five games and Cutter Gauthier leads the team with five assists over that same span. The Ducks are 5-4-1 in their previous 10 games and will almost certainly need to hold a better record than that down the stretch to make the playoffs.
John Gibson’s status for this game is still up in the air, and Ville Husso is now backing up Lukas Dostal. It is still difficult to imagine Lukas Dostal not playing every game that is not a back-to-back until the Ducks are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Expect him to go in this one. Dostal is posting a 2.83 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage this season.
Washington Capitals Aiming for the Top
The Washington Capitals have their sights set on the President’s Trophy, and every point matters to them as well. Their 3-0 shutout victory over Anaheim in January was a defensive masterclass, and they’ll look to replicate that effort on the road. The Caps enter this matchup riding a four-game winning streak and are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.
Of course, all eyes remain on Alex Ovechkin as he inches closer to hockey immortality. The Capitals’ captain is just nine goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record, and with three goals in his last five games, the anticipation grows with every goal. However, Washington’s offensive production extends beyond Ovechkin. Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson have provided key secondary scoring, while John Carlson continues to be a major contributor from the blue line.
This matchup presents an opportunity for the Capitals to flex their depth against a young and desperate Ducks squad. A win would push them closer to securing home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs and keep the “Gr8 Chase” in full swing. Charlie Lindgren played against Seattle on Sunday, so expect Logan Thompson to start this one. He has a 2.31 goals against average and a .917 save percentage this season.
Prediction
The Capitals will look to control the pace early, using their structured play to limit Anaheim’s chances. The Ducks’ young core has been producing, but Washington’s experience and depth should give them the edge. Expect Lukas Dostal to face plenty of shots as the Capitals generate offence from both their top forwards and active defencemen. If the Ducks can capitalize on their speed and get to the net, they’ll have a chance to keep it close, but Washington’s overall consistency should lead them to another win.
Prediction: Capitals win 4 – 2
Prop Bets of the Night
We close out our NHL Prediction for the Washington Capitals vs Anaheim Ducks with some of our preferred prop bets of the night. The Capitals, and specifically Alex Ovechkin has been prolific at scoring empty net goals this year, so Capitals puck line (+128) could be a solid pick. Why not ride the hot hand? Especially with +490 odds, look at Sam Colangelo anytime goal. Season record (11-24).
Note: Always check the latest team news and player statuses before placing any bets, as injuries and other factors can influence game outcomes.
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Main Photo: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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