The Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins could not have more opposite vibes right now. Despite losing three straight games, there isn’t a single team having more fun than the Capitals, who just signed their most talented prospect, Ryan Leonard, out of Boston College to a three-year entry-level contract.
Leonard is going to give the Capitals an extra boost tonight as he gets to play alongside Alex Ovechkin for the first time with the game being played in his hometown.
My Capitals vs. Bruins predictions and NHL picks expect the visitors to come away with the win on Tuesday, April 1.
Capitals vs Bruins prediction
My best bet: Capitals -1.5 (+116 at FanDuel)
My analysis
There is no team in the NHL right now that has been struggling more than the Boston Bruins. The month of March was one that they would quickly like to forget. The Bruins went 3-10-1 last month, which was the lowest amount of points amongst all teams in the league, and they were only averaging 2.07 goals per game, which was tied for the worst in the league as well.
The Washington Capitals' current three-game losing streak to me is just a little rough patch. They have been the most consistent team in the NHL all season long, and I expect tonight to be a big bounce-back opportunity for them. Alexander Ovechkin led the way for the Caps over the past month with 16 points in 14 games and he is now just five goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record of 894.
All of the attention and focus right now is on Ovechkin, but the Capitals just added a young stud in Ryan Leonard, who scored 30 goals in 37 games this season in the NCAA. Leonard was the Capitals 8th overall pick in 2023 and will make an immediate impact to this group.
Offensively, the Capitals are so much better than the Boston Bruins. The Caps are averaging 3.64 goals per game over their last 14 contests, but their power play has gone a little cold. That said, the Bruins have only scored seven goals over their last five games, so the goals have been incredibly hard to come by. For reference, the Capitals have scored 18 in their last five.
Jeremy Swayman hasn’t had the best season in goal, but this last month was a rough one. In his last nine starts, Swayman is 2-7-0 with a .872 save percentage and a 3.65 goals-against average.
The Capitals should be able to dominate this game from start to finish.
Will Alex Ovechkin score tonight?
My best bet: Ovechkin to score (-105 at FanDuel)
With five goals to go and nine games to do it, expect Ovechkin to play with a sense of urgency to bring this baby home before the postseason.
Boston has dropped eight games in a row and has been bleeding goals in the process. Even if Ovi can't get one behind the netminder, there's a good chance he'll have an empty net to fire at with Boston down late.
Capitals vs Bruins same-game parlay (SGP)
Capitals -1.5
Alex Ovechkin to score
Bruins Under 2.5 goals
Alexander Ovechkin is about to become the greatest goal-scorer of all time and stayed hot this season with 37 goals on the year. He has three goals in his last five games and is coming off of a three-point night against the Sabres. Ovechkin has been on fire and is closing in on the Gretzky goal record, and if he’s going to pass it, he needs to take advantage of playing against a weaker team like Boston is right now.
The Boston Bruins flat-out cannot score. Well, David Pastrnak can score goals, but that’s about it. Pastrnak has 86 points this season and the next player closest to him on the Bruins roster is Pavel Zacha, who only has 44 points. It’s absolutely wild. Boston has been struggling mightily offensively.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Capitals vs Bruins odds
Capitals vs Bruins live odds
Capitals vs Bruins opening odds
- Puck line: Boston +1.5 (-142) | Washington -1.5 (+116)
- Moneyline: Boston (+180) | Washington (-220)
- Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-120) | Under 5.5 (-102)
Capitals vs Bruins trend
The Boston Bruins have been the worst team in the NHL over the past month. Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Bruins.
How to watch Capitals vs Bruins
| Location | TD Garden, Boston, MA |
| Date | Tuesday, 4-1-2025 |
| Puck drop | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | MNMT, NESN |
Capitals vs Bruins latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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