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The Washington Capitals visit the Colorado Avalanche on Monday, January 19, 2026 at Ball Arena, with puck drop set for 4:00 PM on TNT. Washington is 24-19-6 and trying to stop a six-week slide that’s pushed them out of a playoff spot. Colorado is 33-5-8, still the class of the league, but they’re dealing with a rare lull and a couple of key injuries that have Jared Bednar sounding less than thrilled.
The Avalanche have dropped four of their last six and took their first regulation loss at home, which is basically unheard of for them this season. Washington has been more consistently inconsistent, showing good stretches and then losing structure in a hurry, especially when coverage gets missed and the puck management goes sideways.
The betting question isn’t “who’s better.” It’s whether the price and the number reflect Colorado’s short-term defensive dip and injuries, and whether Washington has the stability to take advantage if this game stays tight into the third.
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Washington Capitals vs Colorado Avalanche Odds
These are the current betting lines, and bettors should always monitor updated numbers and late goalie confirmation. Keep tracking movement on the latest NHL odds as the market reacts.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitals | +177 | Not provided | O 6.5 (-107) |
| Colorado Avalanche | -216 | Not provided | U 6.5 (-115) |
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Washington Capitals Betting Form
Washington’s slump has a familiar feel. They’ll have sequences where they’re on top of pucks, getting shots, and playing with pace, and then it flips. A missed coverage, a soft turnover, and suddenly they’re defending for their lives. That’s the issue for bettors. It’s not one bad period. It’s the inability to keep their identity intact for a full 60.
The injury situation also matters because it changes how Washington can play. Dubois being out takes away an important matchup center, and Wilson missing removes a big piece of their forecheck and net-front chaos. If Washington is going to hang in this building, they probably need to win the discipline battle and avoid giving Colorado extra power-play looks. Availability matters here, so monitor the Washington Capitals injury report before puck drop.
Current Washington Capitals
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Pierre-Luc Dubois | Out | Lower Body |
| Justin Sourdif | Out | Upper Body |
| Tom Wilson | Out | Lower Body |
Colorado Avalanche Betting Form
Colorado’s “lull” is still better than most teams’ peak, but the internal standard is different. Bednar’s concern has been defending as a unit, and when Colorado isn’t defending hard, they can actually get stretched. That’s why missing Devon Toews matters so much. He stabilizes the top pair and helps clean up exits, which reduces the kind of chaos that creates upset windows.
Even with the injuries, Colorado still has the best overall profile in the league, and Nathan MacKinnon plus Cale Makar is the kind of core that can erase a rough stretch with one dominant period. The bigger question is lineup depth and whether they get bodies back sooner than later. Availability matters here, so monitor the Colorado Avalanche injury report before puck drop.
Current Colorado Avalanche
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Joel Kiviranta | Out | Lower Body |
| Gabriel Landeskog | Questionable | Ribs |
| Jacob MacDonald | Out | Hip |
| Logan O’Connor | Out | Hip |
| Devon Toews | Out | Upper Body |
Washington Capitals vs Colorado Avalanche Matchup Breakdown
This matchup is about pace control and mistakes. Colorado wants to play fast through the middle and turn transitions into high-danger looks. Washington has to keep the puck simple, get it deep when it’s not there, and avoid the kind of “one bad pass equals a Grade-A chance” hockey that has been killing them.
Special teams can decide it quickly. Washington’s margin is thin at even strength, and if they start trading penalties with Colorado, that’s usually a losing equation. If Washington can stay disciplined and keep this five-on-five for long stretches, that’s how they keep the underdog ticket alive into the third.
Goaltending also matters more than the average game when you’re dealing with a 6.5 total and a big favorite. Colorado can dominate stretches, but if they give up soft ones, it changes everything. Washington can generate shots, but they’ve struggled to find consistent finishing when the opponent tightens up. If you want a cleaner framework for thinking about big favorites, totals around key numbers, and how special teams can break a handicap, the NHL betting guide is a solid reference.
NHL Lines Before the Puck Drops
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Washington Capitals vs Colorado Avalanche Predictions and Best Bets
I lean Colorado moneyline (-216). It’s a heavy price, and I’m not pretending it’s fun to lay, but Washington has not shown enough stability lately to make me want to step in front of Colorado at home. Even in a lull, the Avalanche can win this game while still leaving you frustrated with stretches of their play. That’s part of why they’re so good.
The more interesting decision is the total. I lean Under 6.5 (-115) because Washington’s best chance is to slow this down, and Colorado, even with an elite offense, can play a controlled game when it’s locked in defensively. Still, 6.5 is a number that can get beat by one bad five-minute span or an empty-net sequence, so I’m keeping it as a lean unless the goalie confirmations point strongly to a lower-event script.
If you’re also thinking about longer-range exposure, this is the type of matchup that can shift perception quickly. Colorado doesn’t stay discounted for long, and Washington’s playoff odds swing hard with each week of results. The Stanley Cup betting guide is useful when you’re connecting single-game form to futures timing instead of chasing headlines.
Best Bet: Colorado Avalanche moneyline (-216).
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