One of the most interesting NHL games we chose from a 15-game slate on Saturday, November 19, will be played in D.C., so make sure you don’t miss out on the best Avalanche vs. Capitals betting pick and odds.

Washington is desperate to avoid the fourth consecutive defeat when they welcome Colorado at Capital One Arena. The Avalanche are -152 moneyline favorites on Bovada Sportsbook, while the total is set at 6.5 goals. These inter-conference rivals have met on two occasions last year, and the Capitals swept that series.

Avalanche returned to winning in North Carolina

The Colorado Avalanche (9-5-1-0, 9-6 ATS) won five of their previous six games and climbed up to the 6th position in the Western Conference with 19 points. Colorado was on a four-game winning streak, the longest of the campaign, but that positive run ended with a home loss to St. Louis. However, the Avs returned to winning ways with a 3-2 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes on the road.

Artturi Lehkonen scored a game-winning goal in OT in a tilt in which Colorado had just 15 shots opposite Carolina’s 48! Pavel Francouz was impressive with a career-high 46 saves. Interestingly, Francouz broke his record of 45 saves he set against no other than the Canes on the road back in February 2020! So far this season, Colorado has two players in the top 10 when it comes to points. Mikko Rantanen leads the team with 25 (G 11, A 14), while Nathan MacKinnon is right behind him with 24 points (G 4, A 20).

Alexandar Georgiev (7-2-1) is expected to take his place at the goal against Washington on Saturday. The 26-year-old is allowing 2.70 goals per contest with a .924 SV% and no shutouts.

LW Gabriel Landeskog (lower body), LW Valeri Nichushkin (ankle), and LW Darren Helm (undisclosed) are out indefinitely. D Samuel Girard (lower body) is questionable to face the Capitals on Saturday.

Capitals suffered the third loss in a row

The Washington Capitals (7-9-1-2, 10-9 ATS) lost eight of the previous ten games and are on a three-game losing skid after the most recent defeat to the St. Louis Blues on the road. It was a shootout loss for the Capitals, who failed to win any of their two penalty shootouts this year.

The Blues scored three unanswered goals in the opening period, but the Capitals did answer later with four goals in the two remaining periods, including two in the final five minutes. They forced overtime, and in the shootout, Evgeny Kuznetsov’s goal wasn’t enough to get a win. Washington must be disappointed with this loss as they had 51 shots opposite St. Louis’ 24. Alexander Ovechkin leads the Caps with 17 points (G 9, A 8), while Dylan Strome (G 5, A 10) and Kuznetsov (G 2, A 12) are behind him with 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Darcy Kuemper (5-8-1) will probably start at the goal against Colorado on Saturday. The 32-year-old is allowing 2.74 goals per game this season with a .911 SV% and one shutout.

C Nicklas Backstrom (hip), RW T.J. Oshie (lower body), and LW Carl Hagelin (hip) are all unavailable to face the Avalanche on Saturday.

Trends:

Colorado:

  • 14-4 in the last 18 road games
  • 4-0 in the last four vs. Metropolitan Division rivals

Washington:

  • 2-8 in the last ten overall
  • 1-4 in the last five after allowing five goals or more in their previous game
  • 1-4 in the last five games playing on one day of rest

Colorado Avalanche vs. Washington Capitals Pick  

It seems that Washington is missing Backstrom and Oshie a lot. In the last ten games, the Capitals managed to score more than two goals just four times, and for the year, they are averaging just 2.89 goals per game. Colorado has a top 5 defense that is allowing 2.67 goals per contest, so I believe the Capitals don’t have much to hope for on Saturday. The Avs also have a better offense; they scored 4+ goals in five of their previous seven games, and I am backing them to score 4+ here on the way to victory.

Pick: Take the Avalanche to win (-152)

The Total

Both Georgiev and Kuemper have been impressive so far this season as they are allowing around 2.70 goals per game on average. Those are good numbers, but Colorado is playing its best hockey of the campaign and I am backing them to score at least four goals. Washington is perhaps weak on offense, but that’s why the Capitals have been very poor defensively, allowing 4+ goals in five of their last six games. Over is 4-0 in the last four H2H meetings in Washington, while Over is 5-1 in the Capitals’ previous six after allowing five goals or more in their previous game.

Pick: Go Over 6.5 goals (-110)