Ottawa Senators - Washington Capitals predictions and free betting tips [18/10/2023]

So, the NHL is back. A match between Washington and Ottawa is scheduled on 19th October. The game is set to occur in the Canadian Tire Centre. The match promises to be tense down to the last minute, with no team wanting to yield. Let's observe the current shape of the teams and make a decision that'll boost our bank balance. Let's dive in!

Ottawa

In the previous season, Ottawa fared with a 39-35-8 overall record, accumulating 86 points. With such a result, they failed to reach the playoff stage, finishing 11th in the Eastern Conference.

The team has addressed its last season's issues by bringing Joonas Korpisalo into the fold. Perhaps, with him, the Senators will concede much less than last season's 271 goals and thereby reserve a place in the playoffs. Apart from the netminder, Vladimir Tarasenko has joined the club, which will undoubtedly boost Ottawa's attack.

In the 1st meeting of the season, the team couldn't cope with Carolina, suffering a 3:5 defeat. However, in the next game, they managed to snatch 2 points, winning over Philadelphia with a 5:2 scoreline. In the most recent match, they won again, this time against Tampa (5:2).

Washington

In the previous season, the Caps competed with a 35-37-10 overall record, earning 80 points. Overall, one can say that the past year was a failure for them. Such an outcome was affected by injuries to key players, and the team's captain Alexander Ovechkin had the toughest period due to the tragedy with his father.

In the new season, Washington has so-so chances of making the playoffs. I believe that for the Caps, this year will be a failure. The team's sole hope is the captain himself, who might break Gretzky's record this season. However, to fight for the playoffs, that's not enough as key players are well over 30, and their youth is not particularly noteworthy.

Washington is really not the same anymore. In the first match of the season against Pittsburgh, they suffered a 0:4 defeat. But in the next game, they managed to take 2 points after all, winning over Calgary on penalties (3:2). They indeed played a very weak game, though.

Head-to-Head

Last season, these clubs met each other three times. In the first game, Ottawa won with a 5:2 scoreline. Then, the Caps won in overtime (3:2). And in the last match, Ottawa won in overtime (4:3).

Prediction

In the upcoming game, I would bet on a confident win for the Senators in regulation time. The team showed very good results in the first games, and they seem far more interesting than the aging Washington. For now, for me, Ottawa is the clear contender for the playoffs; therefore, they should beat Ovechkin's team in the forthcoming game.