The Detroit Red Wings are continuing with the road trip as they head to Washington, D.C., to take on the Capitals in a game that should be viewed as a must-win. Stealing a game from Washington in the Eastern Conference Wildcard race could be huge.
After all, the Detroit Red Wings had a five-game win streak going until they ran into the buzzsaw Kraken who was able to put an end to the winning streak. The fatigue caught up with the Red Wings, who just ran out of gas.
But, they were able to get some rest in as the team was off for two days as they get back in action in the nation’s capital. They finish up their road trip with the match-up against Washington, who is without their primary source of firepower, Alex Ovechkin, who is away from the team while mourning the loss of his father.
The Red Wings, on the other hand, are expecting to get a look at forward Jakub Vrana in the lineup for the first time since October. After being called back up from the minors, Vrana is looking to make his return to the ice against the team that traded him to Detroit in the first place.
Detroit Red Wings game information and prediction vs. Capitals
With the Capitals without Alex Ovechkin, the Red Wings can jump in and grab two points for their season total with a big win out east. With the Red Wings’ offense still being hot, players like Dylan Larkin will look to keep things going and continue scoring goals.
The Capitals’ offense may be lacking with Ovechkin’s continued absence. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dylan Strome look to carry the team’s offense instead. Darcy Kuemper has not been as dominant as was expected, giving even more reason for Red Wings fans to view this as a winnable game.
Game: Detroit Red Wings (26-21-8) v.s. Washington Capitals (28-24-6)
When: Tuesday, February 21st
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Where: Capital One Arena
Where to Watch: Bally Sports Detroit/NBC Sports Washington
Odds: According to DraftKings, the Washington Capitals are the favorite on the Moneyline, where they feature a -155 payout. The Detroit Red Wings hold a +135 payout on the Moneyline. Detroit is the favorite, being +1.5 with a -195 payout on the Puck Line. Washington has a +165 payout on the Puck Line with a -1.5 spread. The over/under is set at 6.0. The over features a -120 payout and the under has a +100 payout.
Prediction: The Red Wings are not the favorite on the betting lines, but I still like Detroit. After two days of rest with a lot of travel, I’m hoping the team comes out at 100%. The Red Wings may have some fatigue once again, but with two days off, I’m hoping they can shake any jet lag off.
For Detroit, it will be a matter of getting the offense going. Without Ovechkin, the Capitals’ offense will lack a bit of a punch; if the Red Wings can get the offense going, Ville Husso should be able to get things done in net. I’m taking Detroit Moneyline as my pick/prediction for this game.
I also like Vrana for over 0.5 points if your preferred sportsbook has that if Vrana plays. That’s just a bold guess-play from myself, worth considering as Vrana returns to the lineup and to Capital One Arena.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.