Wanting to make some bets on the upcoming contest (Thursday at 7:00 PM ET) between the Washington Capitals and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena Below, we submit our best bets, along with our picks and predictions for this matchup.

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Capitals vs. Blue Jackets Picks

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Total Pick

Pick OU: Over 6.5 (model projecting 6.9 goals)

• A total of 14 Washington games this season have gone over Thursday’s over/under of 6.5 goals.
• This season, 19 of Columbus’ games have featured more than 6.5 goals.
• The Capitals score 4.04 goals per game, compared to the Blue Jackets’ average of 3.39, adding up to 0.9 more goals than this contest’s over/under of 6.5.
• This game’s total is 0.2 more than the 6.4 goals these two teams concede per game combined.

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Moneyline Pick

Capitals Moneyline: -156

• The Capitals are 7-3 when favored on the moneyline this season.
• Washington is 2-2 (winning 50.0% of its games) when it has played with moneyline odds of -156 or shorter.
• The Capitals have a 60.9% chance (based on the moneyline’s implied probability) to win this contest.

Blue Jackets Moneyline: +131

• Columbus has pulled off an upset victory 10 times when playing as the moneyline underdog this season (in 24 games as the underdog).
• When the Blue Jackets’ moneyline odds are +131 or longer, they have won seven games out of 14 opportunities.
• Columbus’ implied probability to win is 43.3% based on its moneyline odds.

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Score Prediction

Prediction:
Washington 4, Columbus 3

Capitals Points Leaders

• Dylan Strome is one of Washington’s top contributors this season with 35 points. He has averaged 0.3 goals per game, shooting 21.4%.
• With 15 goals and 11 assists, Connor McMichael is one of the top offensive options for Washington with his 26 points (1.0 per game).
• On 63 shots (for 15 goals) and 10 assists, Alexander Ovechkin has created 25 points this season.
• Logan Thompson (11-1-2) has a 2.5 goals against average and a save percentage of .913 for Washington.

Blue Jackets Points Leaders

• Zachary Werenski has scored nine goals (0.3 per game) and put up 20 assists (0.7 per game), taking 3.4 shots per game and shooting 9.4%. That makes him among the leaders for Columbus with 29 total points (1.0 per game).
• Kirill Marchenko is crucial for Columbus’ offense with 27 total points (1.0 per game), including 10 goals and 17 assists through 28 games.
• Sean Monahan has scored nine goals and contributed 15 assists for Columbus, giving him a point total of 24.
• Elvis Merzlikins’ record stands at 9-8-2 on the season, giving up 58 goals (3.1 goals against average) and compiling 460 saves with an .888 save percentage (51st in the league).

Capitals’ Schedule

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Blue Jackets’ Schedule

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Washington vs. Columbus Game Info

• Date: Thursday, December 12, 2024
• Time: 7:00 PM ET
• How to watch on TV: ESPN+
• Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
• Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
• Location: Columbus, Ohio
• Venue: Nationwide Arena

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