Capitals vs Predators Picks and Predictions: Nashville Stabilizes in High-Scoring Affair

The Nashville Predators will be looking to pick up their first win since the All-Star break as the West’s No. 3 team has given up nine goals over two losses since the restart. They’ll take on the Washington Capitals, who have played three of the East’s worst teams since getting back on the ice and have taken just two points.

Can Juuse Saros bust this mini-slump after allowing eight goals over his last two starts? Can the Caps shake some inconsistencies and move up in the East standings? Find out in our free NHL betting picks and predictions for Capitals vs. Predators.

Capitals vs Predators odds

This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.

Nashville opened as -140 home favorites and has since moved to -135 on the moneyline with a total of 6 leaning to the Under. These two teams met in Washington back in late December with the Caps winning 5-3 as -160 favorites.

Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until puck drop and be sure to check out the full NHL odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.

Capitals vs Predators predictions

• Prediction: Predators ML (-135)
• Prediction: Over 6 (+105)
• Best bet: Over 6 (+105)

Predictions made on 2/15/2022 at 10:00 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.

Capitals vs Predators game info

• Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
• Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2022
• Puck drop: 8:00 p.m. ET
• TV: NBCS-DC, Bally Sports South

Capitals vs Predators betting preview

Key injuries

Capitals: Vitek Vanecek G (Questionable), TJ Oshie F (Out), Matt Kempny D (Out).
Predators: Nick Cousins F (Out).
Find our latest NHL injury reports.

Capitals vs Predators head-to-head record (since 2017)

Capitals: 1-8 SU, 28 goals for.
Predators: 8-1 SU, 44 goals for.

Betting trend to know

The Over is 13-3 in the Predators’ last 16 games as a favorite. Find more NHL betting trends for Capitals vs. Predators.

Capitals vs Predators picks and predictions

Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.

Moneyline analysis

Both the Capitals and Predators will be looking to pick up their games as these two teams are a combined 1-4 SU since restarting after the All-Star break. For the Predators, it has been their play in net as Juuse Saros has allowed four goals in back-to-back games as the Preds dropped consecutive games versus the Stars and Jets.

Nashville is coming off a game where it allowed 42 shots to Winnipeg and surrendered three power-play goals on eight penalties. Since the restart, the Predators have been anything but disciplined and have been shorthanded 14 times and have given up five PP goals.  

Saros’ struggles should be short-lived as this is a goalie who is the No. 4 betting favorite to win the Vezina. The Finnish goalie is 14-7 SU at home this season and owns a 2.10 GAA to go along with a .931 SV%. 

The Predators still have the eighth-best point percentage since December and currently sit third in the Western Conference. They are a Top-10 team defensively at even strength and played a better game than the 5-3 final indicated in the recent loss to Washington. The Caps jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead before the Preds tied things up in the second. A shorthanded Washington goal would be the difference. 

Washington has not been in great form since the calendar flipped to 2022. Over that stretch, Washington is 6-11 SU and has the sixth-worst point percentage in hockey. They’re giving up 3.24 goals per game and feature a Bottom-10 penalty kill. This is a team that is struggling to get consistent play in net and with Vitek Vanecek still questionable, Ilya Samsonov will likely get the nod.

Samsonov is 2-6 SU in his last nine starts and was pulled in one no-decision. He’ll face a Nashville offense that hasn’t found it difficult to score as they are averaging 3.38 goals per game since January 1. 

We like plenty of goals in this game but think the home side figures things out. They have played much better of late as the Capitals have gone just 1-2 SU in the restart versus the Blue Jackets, Canadiens and Senators. Washington has been a sub-.500 team over the last six weeks and Saros has been a stud at home and should turn things around sooner rather than later.

At -135 on the ML, we are don’t have to pivot off this ML to the 3-way ML and are getting the much better team at a great price.

Prediction: Predators ML (-135)

Over/Under analysis

Combined, both teams are 8-2 to the Over across their last five games. Goaltending has been an issue on both sides but special teams have played a major factor in the high-scoring affairs and we feel those issues will be on display tonight.

The Predators take more penalties than any other team in hockey and that’s a bad thing for a PK that has given up 10 goals over its last 10 games. The Washington power play is starting to show signs of life with five goals over its last six. The Capitals managed five goals in the last meeting and still went 0 for 6 on the power play.

The Capitals’ penalty kill has also been an issue of late as Washington has surrendered seven PP goals over its last five games. The Predators are scoring at nearly 25% on the power play this season which is good for the eighth-best mark in hockey.

Both teams average over 3.00 goals per game and even with the last meeting seeing eight goals and a closing total of 6 (-115 to the Under), the books haven’t readjusted this total as it currently sits at 6 at +105 for the Over. Neither team is playing well of late and special teams and goaltending have us loving this Over.

Saros and Samsonov have given up a combined 14 goals over four starts since the All-Star break and gave up at least three 5-on-5 goals in the previous meeting. 

Both teams come into this game healthy (minus TJ Oshie) and are playing great Over hockey. The Caps have played some poor offenses of late and shouldn’t be surprised if the Preds come out hot after what happened in the first period in the December meeting.

This total of 6 should be priced closer to -110 than +105 for the Over. We’ll take this amazing price in a game that features struggling goaltending and penalty killing.

Prediction: Over 6 (+105)

Best bet

Although we do like the Predators here, we like goals even more. The 5-3 meeting was just five weeks ago and that game didn’t even see a power-play goal.

Saros has been one of the best goalies in hockey this season but he hasn’t looked great in his two starts since the break. Samsonov has been better with a timeshare but when asked to take on a heavier load with Vanacek out, the Russian netminder has been nothing but an average goaltender.

Both teams’ penalty kills have been getting absolutely destroyed of late and with Nashville still taking a ton of penalties, the Capitals will have plenty of opportunities to match the potential output of the Preds. This price is off by 10-15 points in our opinion as well.

Pick: Over 6 (+105)

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