Capitals, Red Wings Meet with NHL Playoff Spot at Stake
Capitals vs Red Wings Odds: Detroit -148 Moneyline Favorite
The Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings are in a dogfight for the Eastern Conference playoffs, with just one point separating the two as we hit the final week of the NHL regular season.
Who has the edge? We could see some clarity when Washington and Detroit meet Tuesday (7 p.m. ET) at Little Caesars Arena.
Detroit is a -1.5 (+164) favorite on the puck line and -148 on the moneyline, with Washington +1.5 (-198) on the spread and +124 to win outright. Meanwhile, the projected total is 6, with a slight edge to the Over at -112.
What can bettors expect? Read on as we break down both NHL teams and assess the Capitals vs Red Wings odds in our NHL game preview.
Washington Capitals vs Detroit Red Wings 
Location: Little Caesars Arena; Detroit
Day/Time: Streaming: ESPN, ESPN+
Capitals vs Red Wings Trends
The Washington Capitals are 37-40 against the spread, including 17-21 away from home. A majority of Washington’s games have trended toward the Under, as the Capitals are 34-39-4 against the Over/Under. Meanwhile, the Detroit Red Wings are 44-33 ATS, including 23-16 at home. As for the Over/Under, the Red Wings are 42-34-1.
Be sure to remember these betting trends when analyzing the Capitals vs Red Wings odds.
Caps’ Chances Hanging by a Thread
Washington’s playoff chase will go right down to the wire, with the Capitals (36-30-11) trailing both Detroit and Pittsburgh by one point for the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference. With only five regular-season games remaining, time is of the essence.
The Capitals are trending in the wrong direction, having dropped six straight since a three-game win streak. That includes a 3-2 overtime loss to Ottawa on Sunday, in which they were -140 favorites.
Because of that, oddsmakers are skeptical of Washington’s chances. The Capitals are +250 to make the NHL hockey playoffs, boasting slightly longer odds than their closest competitors, Detroit (-140) and Pittsburgh (+145).
The Capitals now head back on the road, where they are 17-21 ATS and 16-18-4 OU. They have dropped three straight away from home, including a 4-2 loss to Carolina last Friday.
Scoring remains a problem, with the Capitals ranking 26th in goals per game (2.65) and 16th in power-play percentage (20.6). Dylan Strome (26-38-64) and Alex Ovechkin (29-33-62) are the only two Capitals with more than 50 points, showing that depth is an issue.
The Capitals’ goaltending also has not fared well. Charlie Lindgren and Darcy Kuemper have combined for a pedestrian .898 save percentage. Altogether, the Capitals rank 18th in goals against average (3.18).
Wings Fighting for Eighth
Detroit has sputtered down the stretch, dropping five of its last seven games to fall into a tie for the final playoff spot in the East. With five games left, the Red Wings (38-31-8) have almost no room for error.
After going 1-2-2 on their recent five-game road trip, the Red Wings returned home and split a pair of games. They are coming off Sunday’s 3-1 win over Buffalo, in which they were -125 favorites.
Oddsmakers are confident in the Red Wings’ finishing power, pricing them -140 to make the playoffs. By comparison, the Penguins (+145), Capitals (+250), and Flyers (+450) all have longer odds.
To cash in on those odds, Detroit must overcome its struggles away from Little Caesars Arena. Three of the Red Wings’ last four games are on the road, including a trip to Pittsburgh on Thursday. They are 16-19-3 OU but 21-17 ATS in such games.
Offense has been a strength, with the Red Wings ranking ninth in both scoring (3.31 goals/game) and power-play percentage (23.1) among the NHL leaders. Four different Red Wings have hit the 50-point threshold, led by Lucas Raymond (26-37-63) and Dylan Larkin (31-31-62).
Meanwhile, Alex Lyon has played relatively well in net, amassing a 2.98 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.
Handicapping the Game
This is the last of three regular-season meetings between the teams. Detroit won 8-3 on Feb. 27, with Washington returning the favor 4-3 in overtime on March 26.
The Capitals are just 7-13 in their last 20 games on the road, including 0-3 during their current six-game losing streak. That does not bode well against the Red Wings, who are a healthy 22-12-5 at home.
Both teams have trended toward the Under of late, so scoring could be hard to come by. Washington is just 34-39-4 against the Over/Under this season, including 2-4 over its last six games. Detroit, meanwhile, is 42-34-1 overall but just 1-4 in its last five.
Bettors should remember that when analyzing the Capitals vs Red Wings odds.
Capitals vs Red Wings Lines
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