Washington Capitals vs. Los Angeles Kings Predictions, Picks and NHL Preview – March 9, 2016

The Washington Capitals are a victory away from win No. 50 this season. The opportunity to reach that mark comes later tonight in Tinseltown as they pay the Los Angeles Kings a visit. Will the Caps pad their record with another win? Or will the Kings even up their regular season series with Washington?

Read on for a breakdown of this matchup. You can also check our NCAA basketball conference championship previews for the Pac-12, SEC, and Big Ten.

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Washington Capitals vs. Los Angeles Kings Betting Preview

Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles

When: Wednesday, March 9, 2016 10:30 PM ET

Line: Washington Capitals vs. Los Angeles Kings – view all NHL lines

TV Broadcast: CSNB (Local: WAS)/ FSWHD (Local: LAK)

Betting on the Washington Capitals (49-13-4)

It took the best team in the NHL right now to beat the hottest one. Washington defeated the Ducks on Monday with a 2-1 shootout victory that snapped Anaheim’s 11-game win streak.

That was the Caps’ second-straight game that went past regulation, as they also beat Boston in overtime last Saturday, 2-1. Washington’s offense has been relatively meager lately with the team scoring no more than two goals in each of its last three games. That streak may continue tonight against the predatory defense of the Kings that is currently first in the league with only 2.26 goals against per game.

Washington, however, defeated the Kings at home on February 16, 3-1. Three different players scored for the Caps in that game, namely Jason Chimera, Andre Burakovsky, and rookie Evgeny Kuznetsov, who tallied the game-winner.

The Kings are expected to gang up on league top goal scorer Alex Ovechkin, so Kuznetsov and some of the other Washington offensive weapons are going to be there to pick up the slack. Kuznetsov is behind Ovechkin in team goals leadership, but he tops the Caps in points (20 goals, 47 assists).

Washington’s defense should keep the Caps in the game supposing the Caps take some time to figure out Jonathan Quick and the LA’s blue line. Washington is third in the league with 2.27 goals against per game.

Braden Holtby should be in front of the net later tonight after a fantastic performance in the Ducks game in which he posted 27 saves on 28 shots faced. Holtby enters tonight’s matchup with a 41-8-3 record, a 2.21 GAA, and a .923SV%.

Washington is 7-3 in Holtby’s last 10 road starts.

Betting on the Los Angeles Kings (38-22-4)

The Kings had Washington on the ropes the last time both teams met each other. This time, they’re hoping to get the job done.

Los Angeles’ vaunted defense disrupted majority of the Caps’ attacks in the aforementioned February matchup, but the Kings’ inability to keep the pressure up in the third period cost them the game.

Los Angeles outshot the Caps in each of the first two periods and in the entire game, 40-32, which wasn’t a fluke.

The Kings have a league-leading 56.3 Corsi For percentage, meaning they’re best in puck possessions, but allowed the Caps to score two goals in the last period to get a win. If there’s one lesson the Kings learned in the previous loss to Washington, it’s that they have to prepare for the Caps’ third period surge.

The Caps are second in the league in goals for in the last period with 210. Conversely, the Kings have allowed the second fewest goals during the same segment with 50.

The Kings, who are coming off a 5-1 win over Vancouver on Monday, will be looking to shutdown Ovechkin again after limiting the five-time Maurice Richard Trophy winner to zero goals on 10 shots.

Jonathan Quick is going to be back in between the pipes in the rematch with Washington. He made 21 saves on 22 shots by the Canucks the other night on his way to improving his record to 33-17-3 to go with a 2.17 GAA and .919 SV%.

LA is 5-1 in its last six home games.

Writer’s Prediction

Los Angeles wins, 2-1.