NHL betting preview (April 1): Capitals vs. Bruins odds
Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Tuesday’s NHL matchup between the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins.
Capitals vs. Bruins Odds
- Washington Capitals Moneyline: -220
- Boston Bruins Moneyline: +180
- Puck Line: Capitals -1.5 (+120), Bruins -1.5 (-145)
- Game Total: 5.5 (Over -115, Under -105)
Game odds via Sports Interaction.
Handicapping the Capitals (47-28 SU, 43-30 ATS, 33-35-5 O/U)
Washington will look to avoid its fourth straight loss, and motivation shouldn’t be a problem after the Capitals were embarrassed 8-5 on home ice by the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
This will be the third and final meeting between Washington and Boston this season. The Bruins won the first matchup 4-1 at home on Dec. 23, while the Capitals took the rematch 3-1 in Washington on New Year’s Eve.
The two teams have split the past 10 meetings, with neither winning consecutive games. However, based on the moneyline odds, there’s a good chance the Capitals will break that trend. Washington is 23-9-3 on the road this season.
From a betting perspective, Washington has been the most profitable moneyline bet this season, though much of that success came when the team was an underdog earlier in the year. The Capitals have been solid favorites, winning 27 of 41 games, but that’s only resulted in a profit of 2.3 units. The last two losses didn’t help.
Of course, the biggest storyline heading into this game revolves around Alex Ovechkin and his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record. The 39-year-old has 39 goals in 57 games this season and needs just five more to break the record. That said, Ovechkin has scored only twice in nine games against the Bruins since the start of the 2021-22 season.
2023 No. 8 pick Ryan Leonard signed his entry-level deal with the Capitals on Monday after finishing his Boston College career. A Hobey Baker finalist, the 20-year-old will debut Tuesday in Boston. He tallied 30 goals and 19 assists in 39 games, becoming the first NCAA player with back-to-back 30-goal seasons since Cam Atkinson. Leonard was also Hockey East Player of the Year and MVP of the 2025 World Juniors.
Handicapping the Bruins (30-44 SU, 31-43 ATS, 36-37-1 O/U)
Whether by design or not, Boston is tanking. The Bruins have lost eight in a row and haven’t scored more than two goals in their last seven games. As a result, they now sit just one point ahead of the last-place Buffalo Sabres in the Eastern Conference standings.
Boston is also just one point ahead of the Seattle Kraken, meaning the Bruins could realistically finish with the fourth-worst record in the league if this slide continues—and based on their current form, it wouldn’t be surprising if it did.
According to Evolving Hockey, the Bruins rank 32nd in expected goals percentage and 31st in shot share at five-on-five since the beginning of March. In 14 games this month, they have generated just 21.51 shots on goal per 60 minutes, the worst mark in the league during that stretch.
Boston has also been the worst offensive team in March, scoring just 2.06 goals per 60 minutes. They rank among the bottom six in goals against per 60 as well, and it would be surprising to see them improve in either area before the end of the season.
David Pastrnak’s performance in the face of all this adversity has been admirable, but Morgan Geekie has been one of the Bruins’ only other bright spots. He tallied eight goals and 11 points in 14 games in March. Geekie set a career high with 17 goals in 76 games last season, but this year, he has 27 in 69 games.
Then again, help might be on the way, as defenseman Charlie McAvoy practiced in a regular jersey on Monday, but it’s unclear when he could return to the lineup. McAvoy hasn’t played since the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
Best bet for Capitals vs. Bruins
- Washington Capitals Puck Line -1.5 (+120) at Sports Interaction
Although the Capitals haven’t looked great on the surface, they’ve been playing well. Since March 1, Washington ranks ninth in expected goals and fourth in shot attempts at five-on-five, and only four teams have scored more goals per 60 minutes in all situations.
Goaltender Charlie Lindgren has also been solid, allowing more than three goals just once since the start of January. Given Boston’s struggles on both offense and defense, this looks like a good spot to bet on Washington to cover the puck line.