Montreal (0-0) at Washington (0-0)
- When: Apr 21 2025, 7:00 PM
- Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC, USA
- TV: ESPN
Capitals vs. Canadiens Betting Preview & Prediction
Moneyline Favorite: Washington -185 | Total: 6.0
The Washington Capitals begin their playoff journey Monday night as solid favorites over the visiting Montreal Canadiens. After a dominant 111-point regular season and first-place finish in the Metropolitan Division, Washington aims to shake off a sluggish finish where they went just 4-7-1 in their last 12 games. Now rested and reloaded, the Capitals are expected to come out with purpose.
Despite dropping momentum late, Washington remains one of the most balanced teams in the East. They’ve leaned heavily on their defensive structure and veteran leadership, led by Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome, and they’ll look to dictate tempo early in this series. The goaltending situation is up in the air, with either Logan Thompson or Charlie Lindgren expected to start Game 1. Both bring decent regular-season numbers, but Washington needs whichever netminder gets the nod to lock it in from the opening puck drop.
On the other side, Montreal enters the postseason as the East’s second wild-card team after finishing the year red-hot with a 7-1-2 stretch. Head coach Martin St. Louis has praised his team’s resilience, particularly after entering the post-break schedule with just a 2% playoff chance. Now, the Canadiens are playing with house money — and dangerous confidence.
Sam Montembeault is expected to be in net for Montreal, and while his season numbers are solid, his career record against Washington leaves room for concern. Still, with scorers like Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki leading the way, Montreal has the offensive weapons to keep things interesting if they can get consistent zone pressure and capitalize on any rust the Caps may show early.
Prediction:
The Capitals are too well-rounded and playoff-tested to let this slip at home, especially after resting key players to close the season. Expect a tighter start before Washington pulls away with their offensive depth and playoff experience.
Final Score Prediction: Washington 4, Montreal 3
Best Bet: Washington ML (-185)
Over/Under Lean: Over 6.0 (-105) (if goaltending is shaky early)
- NHL Odds source: MyBookie Sportsbook
