There comes a time in every NHL playoff series where we reach the do or die stage. Being pushed to the brink of elimination in any round adds more pressure than usual for the team in danger, but when it happens in the final, that pressure can become too much to bear. The Washington Capitals have spent the last few years seeing their Stanley Cup dreams trashed in the early rounds, but they have broken through this season, heading home for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final with a 3-1 series lead over the Vegas Golden Knights, but heading back home, the Knights are NHL Betting favorites.
The new boys in the league have already done a whole lot more than anyone expected, but they will still certainly feel as though their season was a little less than it could have been if they lose in the Final. Thursday night could see the NHL odds underdog Washington Capitals clinch the cup on the road, but it may be a little too soon to count out the plucky Golden Knights, as they have made a habit of doing something other than what was expected of them this season.
Special teams have been part of the issue during this 3-game losing skid in the final, with Vegas scoring just once on 11 PP attempts, while giving up 4 of 11 when shorthanded. Staying out of the penalty box is going to be crucial on Thursday night, else it could all be over.
Washington at Las Vegas NHL Betting Preview & Pick
One more step, boys. #ALLCAPS #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/7mZuEoRKgR
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) 6 de junio de 2018
- When: Thursday, June 7 at 8 PM EST
- Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- TV: NBC
- Radio: TuneIn
- Live Stream: NHL.tv
- NHL Betting Odds: Vegas Golden Knights -140 (Over/Under at 5.5)
Recent Head to Head (Las 10 Games)
- Score: Washington Capitals 3.17 / Vegas Golden Knights 3.00
- Shots: Washington Capitals 25.33 / Vegas Golden Knights 30.67
- Power Play Goals: Washington Capitals 4 / Vegas Golden Knights 3
- Number of Power Plays: Washington Capitals 18 / Vegas Golden Knights 15
- Power Play Percentage: Washington Capitals 22.22 / Vegas Golden Knights 20.00
- Penalty Kill Percentage: Washington Capitals 80.00 / Vegas Golden Knights 77.78
Why bet on the Washington Capitals?
It was beginning to get to a point where we all started to believe that Alexander Ovechkin would never get the Stanley Cup that he so richly deserves. Ovechkin has been one of the best players in this league from the moment he took the ice, and the fact that he has stuck with the Capitals amid countless playoff failures says a lot about the character of the player. Ovechkin has 26 points in the playoffs, including 2G and 2A in the final, but is in good company with two of his teammates, with 3 Capitals dominating the postseason scoring. This team has been an offensive powerhouse during their run, but over the last 3 games, it has been the defense that has played the leadership role, surrendering just 5 goals to the Vegas Golden Knights during that stretch. A similar type performance in Game 5 should see them hoist the cup in Vegas.Team Statistics
Offense- Goals: 3.25
- Shots: 29.60
- PP/PK Percentage: 24.20
- Goals: 2.83
- Shots: 31.17
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.47
Why bet on the Vegas Golden Knights?
For much of these playoffs, the Vegas Golden Knights have relied heavily on defense, and on the exploits of Marc Andre Fleury in net. While Vegas won the opening game of this series, the fact that they gave up 4 goals in the win was a sign that their defensive luck might be starting to run out. Froom Game 2 through Game 4, the Golden Knights have been outscored 12-5, a stat that they will need to overturn very quickly if their dream season is to continue beyond Thursday night.
Special teams have been part of the issue during this 3-game losing skid in the final, with Vegas scoring just once on 11 PP attempts, while giving up 4 of 11 when shorthanded. Staying out of the penalty box is going to be crucial on Thursday night, else it could all be over.
Team Statistics
Offense- Goals: 3.23
- Shots: 32.52
- PP/PK Percentage: 20.83
- Goals: 2.68
- Shots: 30.96
- PP/PK Percentage: 18.95
Latest NHL Betting Trends for Game 5
- Washington is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games
- Washington is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington’s last 7 games
- Vegas is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
- Vegas is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Vegas’s last 6 games
