The Washington Capitals look to even the series up at Nationwide Arena in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. USA, RSN, TVA2 and FSOH will showcase the matchup, which gets going at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 19.
Washington Capitals at Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
Columbus enters the matchup as the slight favorite with a moneyline of -115. The line for Washington sits at -105, and the oddsmakers have set the Over/Under (O/U) at 6 goals (-120 for the over, +100 for the under). After they originally opened at -125 over and +105 under, those O/U odds have shifted.
Washington is 50-35 straight up (SU) and has netted 8.8 units for moneyline bettors this season. Through 85 regular season outings, 48 of its games have gone over the total, while 35 have gone under and just two have pushed. This 2017-18 Capitals team is 22-20 SU on the road.
The Capitals’ offensive attack attempted 29.6 shots per game in the regular season, resulting in 3.2 goals per contest (ranked ninth overall in the NHL). In the playoffs, the club is up to an average of 44.3 shots on goal (while being up to 3.3 goals per game).
After sporting the seventh-best power-play unit in the regular season (converting 23.4 percent of all opportunities), the Capitals have been able to score on 35.3 percent of their power plays in the early stages of these playoffs.
With a .908 save percentage and 27.4 saves per game, Braden Holtby (35-21-5) has been the best option in goal for Washington this season. If Washington chooses to rest him, however, head coach Barry Trotz may go with Philipp Grubauer (15-22-5 record, .919 save percentage, 2.47 goals against average).
Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov will both lead the way for the visiting Capitals. Ovechkin has 91 points via 51 goals and 40 assists, and has recorded multiple points 25 times. Kuznetsov has 29 goals and 56 assists to his name, and has logged at least one point in 51 games.
On the other side of the rink, Columbus is 47-38 straight up (SU) and has earned moneyline bettors 1.8 units this year. 43 of its outings have gone over the total, while 41 have gone under and just one has pushed. This year, the team’s 26-16 SU as the home team.
The Blue Jackets have converted on just 17.8 percent of their power play opportunities this season, a figure that’s ranked 25th in the NHL. On the other hand, its penalty kill is ranked 27th overall, and it’s successfully killed off 75.2 percent of all opponent power plays.
Blue Jackets skaters have been whistled for penalties only 3.1 times per game in total this season, and 5.4 per game over their last five outings. The team’s had to defend opponent power plays a whopping 14.6 minutes per game over their last five outings.
Sergei Bobrovsky (28.8 saves per game) has been the primary netminder in goal for the Blue Jackets. Bobrovsky has 39 wins, 29 losses, and seven OT losses to his name and has registered a .921 save percentage and 2.44 goals against average this year.
Artemi Panarin (29 goals, 60 assists) will pace the offensive attack for Columbus.
Washington Capitals at Columbus Blue Jackets Free Picks
Free Pick: SU Winner – Blue Jackets, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes
The total has gone over in four of Columbus’ last five outings.
The Blue Jackets have averaged the league’s fifth-most shots on goal (33.6) while the Capitals have attempted the 31st-most (just 33.6).
Over Washington’s last ten games, five of them have been decided by two or more goals (the team is 4-1 in those games).
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