Washington Capitals at New York Rangers

By Sam Batz

The Washington Capitals are scheduled to face the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 14th (7:00 PM EST, ESPN/ESPN+). It will be the third matchup of the season between the two Atlantic Division rivals, but not the last. New York and Washington will play their fourth and final regular season matchup in April, but for now, are solely focused on Tuesday’s contest. The Capitals are 2-0-0 against the Rangers this year, averaging 5.0 goals per game and allowing 1.5 goals against over their two previous matchups. The Rangers have failed to beat Washington this season, but are currently favored with a -176 moneyline, while the Capitals are currently priced at +145. 

Washington Capitals Breakdown (+145)

The Caps are 32-28-7 with 71 points through 67 games. They are 6th in the Atlantic Division and 10th in the Eastern Conference. The regular season is drawing to an end, and with 15 games left on their schedule, the Capitals will likely miss the playoffs this year (13% chance to see postseason). There is still hope, and the Capitals can’t afford to drop any more points, but haven’t done themselves any favors after going 4-5-1 in their last 10 games. Fortunately, Washington’s gained some momentum after beating the Islanders 5-1 on Saturday, limiting New York to just 18 total shots. 

New York Rangers Breakdown (-176)

The Rangers are currently 37-19-10 with 84 points (13 points ahead of Washington) through 66 games. They are 3rd in the Atlantic Division and tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for 5th in the Eastern Conference. The Rangers are in a strong position to make the playoffs, but with 16 games left on their schedule, nothing is certain. Only the Boston Bruins have clinched a spot in the postseason, and as the playoff race in the East tightens up, New York will need every possible point they can get their gloves on. Unfortunately, the Rangers have lost 6 out of their last 10 (4-5-1 L10) and must now face a divisional opponent whom they have yet to defeat. 

Capitals vs. Rangers: Season Stats

Washington Capitals (32-28-7) 71 207 (17th) 197 (13th) +10 3.09 (19th) 2.94 (13th) 15-13-4 (46.9%) 17-15-3 (48.6%)

Stat Type Pts Total GF Total GA G Diff GF/GP GA/GP Home (Win-rate) Away (Win-rate)

New York Rangers (37-19-10) 84 213 (T-13th) 184 (10th) +29 3.23 (14th) 2.79 (10th) 17-11-4 (53.1%) 20-8-6 (58.8%)

Capitals vs. Rangers: Odds

Team	Spread	Total	Moneyline
Washington Capitals	N/A	Ov 6 (-121)	+145
New York Rangers	N/A	Un 6 (+100)	-176

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Capitals vs. Rangers: Betting Trends

Washington Capitals 33-34 19-16 (Away) 16-22 (vs. East) 27-35-5 4-5-1 14-19-5 (as Underdogs) 9-13-3 (Underdogs Away)

Betting Trend ATS (Season) ATS (Home/Away) ATS (Conference) O/U (Season) O/U (Last 10) ML (Favorite/Underdog) ML (Home/Away)

New York Rangers 34-32 14-18 (Home) 18-18 (vs. East) 30-34-2 4-5-1 28-14-4 (as Favorites) 14-10-3 (Favorites Home)

Capitals vs. Rangers: Key Players

Washington Capitals – Alex Ovechkin: The 37-year old NHL legend out of Moscow is in his 18th year playing for the Capitals, but the old-timer continues to lead his team, racking up a team-high 62 points (36 goals, 26 assists). Ovechkin averaged 0.8 points per game in his last 10, and while he has failed to score against the Rangers this year, he recorded 2 assists in his last matchup with New York. I predict Ovechkin will post at least 1 point (goal or assist) against the Rangers on Tuesday. 

New York Rangers – Mika Zibanejad: The 29-year old Center out of Sweden leads his team in goals (32) and is second with 68 points (32 goals, 36 assists). Zibanejad averaged just 0.2 goals in his last 10, but did manage to record 0.8 points. He has 0 goals and 2 assists against the Capitals this season, but is one of New York’s top offensive threats, which is why I predict Zibanejad will record at least 1 point (goal or assist) against Washington on Tuesday. 

Capitals vs. Rangers: Prediction

Take New York (-176) to win this game. The Rangers are finally back home after a 4 game road trip where they went 2-1-1. New York is winless against the Capitals, but the two sides have yet to play in Madison Square Garden, where New York wins over 53% of the time. Washington wins about 48% of the time on the road, giving the Rangers a slight edge. New York may be favored, but this game is no cut and dried affair, as the Capitals match up well with the Rangers and are coming off a big win, unlike New York who lost 3-2 in a shootout with the Penguins on Sunday. Regardless, the Rangers want to settle the score against Washington, and will enter Tuesday’s divisional showdown ready to pour it on. 

Prediction: New York Rangers (-176) Moneyline and the Under (6). Final Score 3-2. 

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