Mar 30, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk (12) scores a goal against Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) during the shootout at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Hannah Foslien-USA TODAY Sports
- The Boston Bruins visit the Washington Capitals in a massive game in the Eastern Conference playoff race
- Washington is currently tied with both Philadelphia and Detroit for the final Wild Card berth in the East
- Below, see the Bruins vs Capitals odds, predictions, and player props for Monday’s game in DC
If the Washington Capitals (38-31-11 overall, 21-12-7 home, 87 points) are going to end their one-year playoff drought, Monday’s game against the Boston Bruins (47-18-15 overall, 23-8-9 away, 109 points) is a de facto must-win. With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Caps are tied with Detroit and Philadelphia for the final postseason berth in the Eastern Conference, with Pittsburgh just one point back.
At the moment, the Caps own the tiebreaker over both the Red Wings and Flyers, so are slotted into the #8 spot in the East portion of the NHL playoff bracket. Oddsmakers expect that to change on Monday, listing Atlantic-leading Boston as sizable favorites in the Bruins vs Capitals odds.
Boston Bruins vs Washington Capitals Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | -1.5 (+155) | -155 | Over 5.5 (-115) |
| Washington Capitals | +1.5 (-200) | +135 | Under 5.5 (-105) |
The Bruins are -155 moneyline favorites in Monday’s NHL odds with the Caps +135 underdogs to pick up a much-needed two points. The over/under is at 5.5 with the over slightly favored at -115.
Odds as of April 15 at Fanatics. Claim the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code to bet on Bruins vs Capitals on Monday night.
Boston vs Washington Recent H2H History
Monday is the third and final meeting between the Caps and Bruins this season. Washington earned a 3-0 win in Boston back on Feb. 10 (snapping a six-game losing streak in the process) while the B’s secured a 3-2 shootout win in Washington on March 30.
Charlie Lindgren (2.77 GAA, .909 SV%) started both games for the Caps, stopping 45 of 47 shots altogether. Jeremy Swayman (2.56 GAA, .915 SV%) started both for the Bruins, stopping 53 of 58 shots from the Caps. Both are expected to start again tonight.
The Caps last home win against Boston came on April 10, 2022, but the teams have split their last six head-to-head, each winning three.
Capitals Pick Up Much-Needed Win Over TBL
Just 2-5-2 in their last nine games, the Caps picked up a much-needed two points last time out against Tampa Bay (4-2). John Carlson scored the game-winner 8:29 into the third period while Lindgren had a solid night, stopping 32 of 34 Tampa shots.
But even with that victory, the Caps still have by far the worst goal differential of any team currently in a postseason position (-40). The next-worst is the New York Islanders at -21.
The Caps’ goal differential is also considerably worse than the three teams chasing them, and it’s almost entirely due to an anemic offense, which has only mustered an Eastern Conference-worst 216 goals this season.
Washington comes by its ugly statistics honestly. According to Moneypuck, the Capitals are 25th in the NHL in expected goals percentage at 47.26%. Only three teams in the East are worse (Montreal, Detroit, Columbus).
Surprisingly, though, the Bruins are only 17th at 50.04% and are well below average in Corsi (46.94%). According to the analytics, Boston has been one of the luckiest teams in the NHL this year, scoring 10.56 goals above expectations (fifth-most).
Bruins Winners of Five of Last Six
The Bruins enter Monday on the heels of a 6-4 road victory over the Penguins on Saturday, their fifth win in the last six games (though two came in OT/shootout). Brad Marchand and Pavel Zach each had a goal and an assist, and the B’s managed to put six past the Pittsburgh goalies despite finishing 0-for3 on the power play and -1 on special teams.
On the injury front, Boston is as healthy as can be expected at this time of year. In addition to center Matthew Poitras (5 goals, 15 points in 33 games) being on IR, winger Justin Brazeau (5 goals, 7 points in 19 games) and defenseman Derek Forbort (4 points in 35 games) are sidelined.
The Caps are without defensemen Nick Jensen (1 goal, 14 points in 78 games) and Rasmus Sandin (3 goals, 23 points in 68 games) in addition to Nicklas Backstrom and Ethan Bear, who are on the IR.
Bruins vs Capitals Prediction
There isn’t as much to choose between the teams than the odds suggest. The Caps have done a solid job of defending their home ice all season (21-12-7 at home) and Lindgren has a solid track record against Boston. Don’t be surprised if this game, which should have a playoff-type atmosphere and potentially playoff-type officiating, needs more than 60 minutes to be decided, in which case having the Caps at +135 will be excellent value. (Boston is second in the league in OT losses with 15.)
BOS vs WSH pick: Capitals moneyline (+135)
Sascha was a hockey player in his youth, a lawyer in his capricious mid-20s, and has been with SBD since 2014. He specializes in football, basketball, politics, baseball, and hockey.