Capitals vs Rangers November 20 Betting Preview: Washington League-Best 10-1-1 on the Road
By Angelo Montilla in NHL Hockey
Updated: April 21, 2020 at 5:24 pm EDTPublished:
- Washington has won seven of last eight games away from Capital One Arena
- Rangers, looking to snap two-game losing slide, listed as +159 underdogs
- Capitals have won 9 of last 10 meetings against division rivals
The Washington Capitals have won their last five road games and will look to make it six in a row Wednesday night when the Metropolitan Division leaders take on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Owning an NHL-best 10-1-1 record on the road this season, sportsbooks are listing the Capitals as -176 favorites heading into Wednesday’s game.
Is there any value at all in taking the Rangers at +159? Here’s a closer look at the Capitals vs Rangers odds and stats.
Washington Capitals vs NY Rangers Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Puckline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitals | -176 | -1.5 (+132) | O 6.5 (-130) |
| New York Rangers | +159 | +1.5 (-152) | U 6.5 (+118) |
Odds taken Nov. 20
Along with winning its last five on the road, Washington has also won seven of its last eight games away from Capital One Arena.
Through 23 games this season, the Capitals own the league’s best record at 16-3-4 — looking more and more like the same Washington team that won the Stanley Cup in 2018.
No surprises here as Alex Ovechkin (@ovi8) picks up Shot of the Night.
NHL x @JagermeisterUSA pic.twitter.com/shkikeTqgf
— NHL (@NHL) November 16, 2019
Caps 5-0 SU Over Last Five Road Games
Breaking down Washington’s last 11 games, the team is 9-2 straight up during that stretch. The Caps are also 5-0 SU in their last five road games, making them heavy favorites heading into New York on Wednesday.
The Caps have been powered by none other than Alex Ovechkin, who is tied for third overall in goals (15) this season, trailing only David Pastrrnak of the Boston Bruins and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers.
Another bright spot for the Capitals this season has been the play of defenseman John Carlson, who sits fourth overall in NHL scoring with 35 points in 23 games.
When the lines initially opened early afternoon Tuesday, the Rangers were at +144 and the odds dipped to +140 before lengthening to +153.
The Rangers remain among the bottom-feeders in the Eastern Conference, going 8-8-2 over 18 games this season.
Artemi Panarin makes a SUPERB pass in to Tony DeAngelo who taps it home!#PlayLikeANewYorker pic.twitter.com/5I4hEfyJJk
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) November 17, 2019
Washington Has Covered Last Two Games
The total for this game is set to 6.5 with the Over odds paying -130. Books are offering +118 odds if the result is Under 6.5, but keep in mind that five of Washington’s last seven games have resulted in “Over” outcomes.
The Capitals lead the NHL in goals-for per game, averaging 3.74 heading into action on Wednesday. The Rangers have also been surprisingly strong on offense this season, putting up 3.33 goals per game, which ranks ninth in the league.
Artemi Panarin. 🍞
11 Game Point Streak. 🚨
— Nathan "Grav" Murdock (@NathanGraviteh) November 17, 2019
New York’s biggest off-season signing of Artemi Panarin seems to be paying off early on as the Russian winger leads the team in scoring with 23 points in 18 games.
Playing the puckline? Sportsbook has the Capitals at -1.5 with odds of +132. Washington has covered its last two games and eight of its last 11.
Looking at the head-to-head stats between these two teams may make your betting decisions a little — or a lot — clearer.
Over the last 10 games Washington has posted a 9-0-1 record during that span. This is the second meeting between the Caps and Rangers, with Washington skating away with a 5-2 win the last month.
What’s the Best Bet?
The Capitals keep getting shorter odds as the line moved from -165 to its current price of -176 against the Rangers. The line may not be all that attractive to bettors but it’s going to be hard to bet against the red-hot Capitals on Wednesday.
There is more value in playing the puckline here as the return on Washington covering the -1.5 spread pays out at +132.
If you look at Washington’s previous games, the Caps have won by three goals two times in the last three games.
Pick: Washington Capitals (-1.5, +132)
Sports Writer
Angelo Montilla is a writer, visual design instructor and graphic designer based on the East Coast. As a journalism graduate, his experience in the media industry spans more than 15 years and includes work with Nation Network, SportsBreak, Featurd, Hockey Writers and the Windsor Star.
