Capitals vs Rangers Prediction, Odds & Picks (March 14): Can New York Stand Tall at MSG?

The Washington Capitals aim to continue their road success when they visit the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, March 14. Washington has already won the first two matchups between the Metropolitan Division rivals this season, leaving time to tell if tonight’s Capitals vs Rangers showdown continues that trend.

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The Capitals hammered the New York Islanders, 5-1, in their last outing on Saturday. Five different players found the back of the net as Darcy Kuemper made 18 saves to help the Capitals win for the third time in their last four road games.

The Rangers return to MSG following a four-game road trip where they went 2-1-1. Unfortunately, the regulation loss came in their last outing — a 3-2 overtime defeat at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Considering how New York hasn’t had the best luck at home lately, it’ll be interesting to see how the club responds from its latest loss.

Not only will the incoming Capitals vs Rangers tilt be exciting to watch, but it also brings some notable betting opportunities to the table. Fortunately, Betting News has you covered with BetOnline Sportsbook’s latest NHL odds, as well as a prediction and the best bets for the game..

Washington Capitals vs New York Rangers Matchup Information and Betting Odds

Matchup Information

• Matchup: Washington Capitals (32-28-7, 17-15-3 Away) vs. New York Rangers (37-19-10, 17-11-4 Home)
• Venue & Location: Madison Square Garden (New York City, New York)
• Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2023
• Game Time: 7 p.m. Eastern Time
• Capitals vs Rangers TV Info: ESPN, ESPN+

Capitals vs Rangers Odds

Game odds are via BetOnline as of Tuesday, March 14 at 8:17 a.m. ET. Odds from other top online sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

Spread

• Washington Capitals +1.5 (-162)
• New York Rangers -1.5 (+134)

Over/Under

• Over 6.5 Goals (+102)
• Under 6.5 Goals (-124)

Moneyline

• Washington Capitals +146
• New York Rangers -178

Capitals vs Rangers Betting Trends

• Washington is 13-7 straight up in its last 20 road games.
• The Rangers are 2-5 straight up in their last seven games against Washington.
• The total has hit the over in 13 of Washington’s last 17 games played in March.
• The total has hit the over in five of the Rangers’ last six home games.
• The total has hit the under in three of the last four Capitals-Rangers matchups.

Capitals Boosted by Strong Offensive Play

As mentioned earlier, the Capitals have been striking gold away from home lately. Not only have the Capitals won three of their last four away games, but they’ve also outscored opponents 18-10 over that stretch.

Going back further, the Capitals are scoring an average of 4.29 goals over their last seven games overall. Fortunately for them, the Rangers haven’t consistently kept the puck out of their net recently, surrendering 3.46 goals per game over their last 13 outings.

Unsurprisingly, Alexander Ovechkin has been one of his team’s biggest contributors, scoring three goals in the Capitals’ last four road games. Having said that, he didn’t score in either of the previous meetings with the Rangers this season. Still, he does have six goals in his last nine games against the divisional rival.

Ovechkin and his teammates will continue to have if Igor Shesterkin can’t turn things around. The Russian netminder hasn’t been his usual self. While he has an 8-3-0 record in his last 11 starts, he’s only played to a 3.22 goals-against average and .881 save percentage in those games.

If the Rangers want to be victorious, their special teams units also must do their part. The good news is that the power play has been operating like a well-oiled machine. After all, the Rangers are 13-of-43 (30.2%) on the man advantage over their last 15 games.

While the Capitals’ power play is operating at a solid 23.5% over their last 11 outings, they’ve failed to convert one act of their last eight opportunities.

As for the penalty kill, both teams have been solid lately. Washington has killed 86.4% of penalties during the last nine games while New York isn’t too far off with an 86.7% success rate in its last five.

It’s hard to imagine the Rangers losing a third straight game to the Capitals this season. New York is the clear-cut better club, proven by its +1300 odds to win the Stanley Cup (T-No. 6) on BetOnline Sportsbook. For reference, Washington is available at +15000 (No. 21). In other words, this is the Rangers’ game to lose.

Capitals vs Rangers Prediction and Picks

Capitals vs Rangers Prediction: Rangers 4, Capitals 2

Capitals vs Rangers Picks: Rangers ML (Best Value: -178 at BetOnline) & Under 6.5 Goals (Best Value: -124 at BetOnline)

With the Rangers having the edge in multiple areas, I’m siding with them winning this game. It also helps that they’ve won six of their last eight games at Madison Square Garden, which is never an easy place to play for visiting teams. Now that Patrick Kane is beginning to gel with his teammates, I don’t like the Capitals’ odds here.

I also recommend taking the under on the 6.5-goal total. Although Washington and New York combined for nine goals in their previous meeting this season, five of the last six Capitals vs Rangers showdowns have finished with fewer than 6.5 goals.

Other Washington vs New York Betting Resources

• Capitals vs Rangers Consensus Picks, Score Projections & Betting Stats