Washington Capitals vs Detroit Red Wings NHL Prediction, Pick and Preview, February 21st, 2023

Odds

2021-2022 season stats

Preview

On February 21st, 2023, the Washington Capitals will host the Detroit Red Wings at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. This game will mark the third time the two teams meet this season, with the Red Wings winning the previous matchup 3-1.

Washington Capitals

The Capitals come into this game on a four-game losing streak, which has seen them slip to sixth in the Metropolitan Division with a 28-24-6 record. In their most recent game, the Capitals lost 3-1 to the Montreal Canadiens, with Jake Allen making 32 saves for the Canadiens. The Capitals struggled to create scoring chances in the game, with only one of their 33 shots finding the back of the net.

Looking at the overall stats for the two teams, the Capitals have scored 174 goals and allowed 168 goals, giving them a +6 scoring differential. The Red Wings have scored 152 goals and allowed 149 goals, giving them a +3 scoring differential.

Conor Sheary has been the top scorer for the Capitals this season, with 12 goals and 18 assists. Sheary has been in good form recently, with three goals and three assists in his last 10 games. In addition, Evgeny Kuznetsov has been playing well recently, with three goals and three assists in his last 10 games. The Capitals will be looking to these players to lead the team in this game and help them break their losing streak.

Looking at their recent form, the Capitals have struggled in their last 10 games, with a record of 3-7-0. During this stretch, they have averaged two goals per game while giving up 3.4 goals per game. This has been a significant drop-off from their form earlier in the season, when they won seven out of 10 games. The Capitals will need to improve their recent form if they hope to make the playoffs this season.

In terms of injuries, the Capitals will be without Nic Dowd, Carl Hagelin, John Carlson, Alex Ovechkin, and Connor Brown. Dowd and Hagelin are both day-to-day with lower-body injuries, while Carlson is out with a facial injury. Ovechkin is out due to personal reasons, while Brown is out with a lower-body injury. The Capitals will need to rely on their depth players to step up in this game and fill the void left by these injured players.

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings, on the other hand, have won their last two games and have been in good form recently. They are currently sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 26-21-8 record. In their most recent game, the Red Wings defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1, with Dylan Larkin scoring a goal and an assist in the game. The Red Wings dominated the game, outshooting the Blue Jackets 37-25 and winning the faceoff battle 37-22.

For the Red Wings, Dylan Larkin has been their top scorer this season, with 22 goals and 34 assists. Larkin has been in good form recently, with two goals and two assists in his last five games. In addition, Jonatan Berggren has been playing well recently, with four goals in his last 10 games. The Red Wings will be looking to these players to continue their good form and lead the team to victory in this game.

The Red Wings, on the other hand, have been in good form recently, with a record of 7-3-0 in their last 10 games. During this stretch, they have averaged 3.3 goals per game while giving up 2.5 goals per game. This has been a significant improvement from their form earlier in the season, when they struggled to string together wins. The Red Wings will be looking to continue their good form and push for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division.

For the Red Wings, Mark Pysyk is out with an Achilles injury, while Lucas Raymond is out with a lower-body injury. The Red Wings have been relatively healthy this season, which has allowed them to maintain a consistent lineup and build momentum.

BETTING TRENDS

Detroit are 7-1 SU in their last 8 games.

Detroit are 2-5 SU in their last 7 games against Washington.

Detroit are 8-2 SU in their last 10 games on the road.

Detroit are 5-13 SU in their last 18 games when playing on the road against Washington.

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Washington's last 6 games.

The total has gone OVER in 8 of Washington's last 12 games against Detroit.

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Washington's last 6 games at home.

Prediction

Given the evenly matched nature of these two teams, this game could be a closely contested affair. The Red Wings have been in better form recently and have been effective when scoring three or more goals in a game. However, the Capitals will be playing at home and will be looking to snap their four-game losing streak. In addition, the Capitals have a strong record at home, with 14 wins out of 28 games but they have struggled to score goals and have only scored a total of six goals in their last four games. To turn their season around, the Capitals will need their star players to step up and lead the team in this game.

On the other hand, if the Red Wings are to win this game, they will need to continue their good form and dominate the game from start to finish. The Red Wings have been playing with confidence recently and have been getting contributions from all of their lines. If they can continue to play with this level of intensity, they will be a tough team to beat.

In terms of special teams, both teams have struggled on the power play this season. The Capitals have a power play percentage of 19.8%, which is 15th in the league. The Red Wings have a power play percentage of 17.2%, which is 25th in the league. However, the Red Wings have been strong on the penalty kill, with a penalty kill percentage of 84.3%, which is sixth in the league. The Capitals have a penalty kill percentage of 77.5%, which is 27th in the league. This could be a key factor in the game, as the Red Wings will be looking to take advantage of the Capitals' struggles on the penalty kill.

PICK: Red Wings ML (-147)

Find more sports picks from the top sports bettors and NHL experts all in one place using our iOS and Google Play apps, as well as our other articles at Kingpin.pro.  We are the home for NHL picks, sports picks and sports betting.

NHL expert picks, Expert NHL picks, NHL expert picks today, Expert NHL picks today, Top NHL picks for today, Expert NHL picks free, NHL expert picks against the spread.