NHL Predictions: Washington Capitals vs Pittsburgh Penguins, April 11th

The Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins clash in a rivalry game. Welcome back to NHL Predictions here with Last Word On Hockey. Each day, we provide in-depth analysis, insights, and predictions for games around the NHL. In tonight’s matchup, Pittsburgh and Washington battle in a historic game for their respective captains.

NHL Predictions featuring the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins

Head-to-Head: Capitals 0-1 Penguins

How to Watch: TVAS, TVAS+, Sportsnet+, NHL Centre Ice, ESPN, ABC

Time: 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

Penguins Story

Pittsburgh comes into this game off a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils. With the victory, the Penguins clinched a spot in the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’ll be their first appearance in the postseason since the 2021-22 season. It has been a surprisingly fantastic season for Pittsburgh. Originally expected to place as low as in the bottom three in the league, the Penguins have battled hard all year long to the point of reaching the postseason once again. In the remaining three games of the season, two of which are against the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh will be looking to sort out any remaining kinks and figure out their lines going into the playoffs. These two games against Washington may be the last set of battles in the storied rivalry between Penguin legends Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and Capitals legend Alex Ovechkin. 

Egor Chinakhov was once again the star of the game against the Devils. With a goal and two assists, Chinakhov improved to 18 goals and 36 points through 41 games with Pittsburgh following a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Erik Karlsson shone in this game as well, scoring a goal and an assist. Putting together his best season with Pittsburgh since being moved from the San Jose Sharks, 15 goals and 66 points in 74 games, Karlsson will be a force in the playoffs for the Penguins. A large part of the team’s resurgence this season has been the play of Evgeni Malkin. The star forward has had a resurgent season with 19 goals and 61 points through 55 games.

With Stuart Skinner getting the start in the last game, expect Arturs Silovs to play in the first half of the back-to-back against the Capitals. Silovs has gone 19-10-8 with an .891 save percentage. However, now is a good time to remind you to always check official lineups before placing any kind of bet. 

Capitals Story

It has been an up-and-down season for the Washington Capitals. After placing first in the Metropolitan Division last season, it seems as though Washington is going to miss the playoffs entirely this year. They come into this game off a 4-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. They are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games. In what may be the final three games of the greatest goal scorer in league history’s career, Alex Ovechkin and his Capitals look to sneak their way into the playoffs. They are three points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for the third spot in the Metropolitan Division. However, they hold the tiebreaker over the Flyers should both teams end up in a tie.

Washington is led in scoring by Ovechkin. The Russian superstar has scored 31 goals and 61 points through 79 games this season. Behind him is power forward Tom Wilson. Wilson has flourished into an incredible top-six forward and has 29 goals and 59 points through 69 games this season. From the backend, defenceman Jakob Chychrun leads Washington. The star defenceman has a career high 25 goals and 59 points in 77 games this season. 

In net, expect goaltender Logan Thompson to start. Thompson is 29-21-6 with a .912 save percentage this season. However, as this game is the first in a back-to-back, it’s possible backup Charlie Lindgren starts instead. Lindgren is 9-8-3 with an .879 save percentage this season.

Prediction

As much as the Penguins have been flying high recently, the Capitals are fighting for their playoff lives and will likely come out with more energy and effort than Pittsburgh. Expect a Washington victory in this game. 

Prediction: Capitals win 3-1

Prop Bet of the Night

Although these teams have been playing higher scoring games as of late, these two teams tend to have tighter affairs than most rivals. Expecting the lowered scoring, a popular prop bet goals under five with odds of +290 is a good one. 

Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions; some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.