Capitals to soar past Red Wings in high-stakes clash
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We have a massive 12-game slate ahead of us on Tuesday night, which features plenty of games with playoff implications.
Let's dive into the best ways to attack it.
Red Wings (+105) @ Capitals (-125)
This game means a lot in the Eastern Conference playoff race, and I see plenty of reason to side with the home team.
At the top of the list has to be goaltending. The projected matchup of Alex Lyon versus Charlie Lindgren massively favors the Capitals, even more so if we zero in on their recent performance.
Lyon is 0-7 with an .876 save percentage during March. He's conceded 5.51 goals above expectation in that span, one of the worst marks in the league.
The Red Wings are giving up a lot of chances, and he just hasn't shown the ability to bail them out anywhere close to as often as needed. He isn't making the saves he's supposed to, let alone any extra.
It's a much different story at the other end of the rink. Lindgren is 7-3 with a .923 save percentage this month. He also ranks third in the NHL in goals saved above expected with a net rating of plus-8.84 through 11 appearances.
He recently gave up seven goals to the Maple Leafs, but his numbers remain good. That shows you the level Lindgren has played on a game-by-game basis.
The Capitals are also in much better form offensively. Led by a resurgent Alex Ovechkin, they sit ninth in goals per minute this month. That's a far cry from the 30th-place Red Wings, who have scored more efficiently than only the Kraken and Ducks.
I see a lot of edges for the Capitals in this spot. Factor in that they also have home ice in their back pocket, and this line appears short.
Bet: Capitals (-125)
Flames (-175) @ Blackhawks (+150)
If you like fire-wagon hockey, this probably won't be the game for you.
The Blackhawks have struggled at the offensive end all season long. They've scored just 2.2 goals per game while generating an average of only 27.1 shots.
They don't create a lot of volume and, save for Connor Bedard, have very little high-end offensive talent that can help them make the most of the opportunities they do get.
The expectation is that Jacob Markstrom will start in goal for the Flames. He's been one of the best netminders in the NHL all season long and is unlikely to give the Blackhawks many (if any) goals they don't necessarily deserve.
Even if the Flames throw a curveball and go back to Dustin Wolf, the Blackhawks' offense will likely still be in a tough spot. The talented youngster is really coming on, having allowed two goals or fewer in three of his past four starts.
Conversely, I don't expect a whole lot from the Flames' offense. They've really struggled since the deadline, ranking 26th in goals per minute and 28th in finishing rate.
Blackhawks starter Petr Mrazek has hit a bit of a wall of late, but he's largely played well this season. A date with a struggling Flames attack is a good spot for him to get back on track.
Bet: Under 6.5 (-135)
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.