New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals Picks and Predictions March 5th 2025

New York Rangers vs Washington Capitals March 5th 2025

Looking to win big? The Capitals and Rangers face off at 7:30 ET on TNT. The Rangers are hosting the game at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. The Capitals are favored by -1.5 in this Metropolitan division showdown. The game’s over/under is currently at 6 goals.

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Washington vs. New York Key Information

Following a 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Capitals’ record now stands at 39-14-8. Washington trailed early, but Alex Ovechkin tied it up with just 44 seconds left in the first period. They briefly took the lead with another goal at 19:49 in the first, but the Hurricanes responded with three unanswered goals.

Going into the game, the total was set at 6 goals, and the combined score hit that number exactly. Washington, as underdogs on the puck line, failed to cover. Defensive struggles were evident, as the Capitals allowed 44 shots on goal.

Washington’s offense managed just two goals in their 4-2 loss to Carolina. Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season on a power play, while Brandon Duhaime followed with his 2nd goal. The Capitals took 21 shots on goal and recorded 15 giveaways.

Ovechkin had 5 shots on goal, and Duhaime added 3. Nic Dowd picked up his 2nd assist of the year, and Dylan Strome earned his 13th assist on Ovechkin’s power-play goal. After scoring twice in the first period, the Capitals were held scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Defensively, the Capitals will look to bounce back after allowing four goals to the Hurricanes in their previous game. After taking a 2-1 lead late in the first period, Washington gave up two quick goals in the second and another in the third. Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage, but the defense will aim to improve after allowing 44 shots on goal.

The Rangers improved to 31-26-4 with a 5-2 win over the Islanders. As -1.5 goal favorites, they covered the puck line, and the total of 7 goals surpassed the pre-game line of 6.

Four different players scored for the Rangers, with Artemi Panarin leading the way with two goals. They took a 2-0 lead before the Islanders got on the board, but the Rangers pulled away with two more goals in the third period.

Artemi Panarin led the way for the Rangers with two goals, including his 9th of the season on an empty net and his 8th on a power play. Chris Kreider got things started with a shorthanded goal, his 8th of the year, while Vincent Trocheck added his 4th goal. Adam Edstrom also found the net, scoring for the first time this season.

Mika Zibanejad contributed three assists, bringing his season total to 8. The Rangers fired 40 shots on goal and scored twice in the third period, with Edstrom’s goal and Panarin’s empty-netter.

Defensively, the Rangers will look to build off a strong 3rd period, where they didn’t give up a goal to the Islanders. They allowed 2 goals in the 2nd period, with the last one coming with just 8 seconds remaining. Igor Shesterkin finished with 35 saves and a 94.6% save percentage, while the defense recorded 10 takeaways and 19 hits.

If you’re looking for a moneyline pick, my choice is the Rangers to take down the Capitals at home. With the moneyline currently at -102, I’m placing my bet on the Rangers straight-up.

If you’re looking to get a bet down on this matchup, we foresee the Rangers winning the underdog. However, if you’re not as confident in the Rangers straight-up, we’d still recommend placing a bet on them to cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.

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Alex Ovechkin 10 Goals from Great One as Caps Visit Rangers

The Washington Capitals are in control of the Metropolitan Division, allowing them to enjoy Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record without the pressure of standings implications. Meanwhile, their opponent on Wednesday night, the New York Rangers, is locked in a playoff battle and focused on securing a crucial winning streak.

Capitals Stay in Control

With Ovechkin just 10 goals shy of tying Gretzky’s record of 894, Washington continues its steady play despite some recent inconsistency. The Capitals snapped a three-game losing streak on Monday with a 5-4 shootout win over the Ottawa Senators, thanks to Dylan Strome’s game-deciding goal.

“We’ll certainly take the win because we’ve been reeling a little bit at home,” Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. “But it didn’t look good out there, didn’t feel good at any point of the game. So, we’ll look at a few things, but we’ll take the two points.”

Ovechkin was held without a point for the 16th time this season, but Washington has gone 10-4-2 in those games as other players step up. Connor McMichael has three goals in his past five games, Pierre-Luc Dubois has netted eight in his last 16, and Tom Wilson has seven in his past nine outings.

Ovechkin has five goals since the league’s return from the 4 Nations Face-Off break and is also just two points away from reaching 1,600 in his career. He has enjoyed success against the Rangers this season, scoring three times in two previous matchups.

Rangers Finding Their Stride

New York is coming off back-to-back 4-0 shutout victories against the Nashville Predators and New York Islanders, marking a strong defensive turnaround. The Rangers have won four of their past five games since a rough 8-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 22.

“Teams can definitely gain an advantage from playing playoff hockey — fighting for their lives,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “That can be a benefit going into the playoffs. But you’ve got to get there first. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

On Monday, Will Cuylle and Will Borgen scored late in the first period, while J.T. Miller and Artemi Panarin added third-period goals as New York allowed just 21 shots on goal. That followed a season-low 16 shots allowed in a 3-2 loss to Toronto on Friday.

The Rangers have been aggressive ahead of Friday’s trade deadline, already making four significant deals. Reilly Smith has been held out for roster management purposes, and Chris Kreider remains sidelined with an upper-body injury, missing five straight games.

Miller has made an immediate impact since being acquired from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 31, tallying seven goals in 11 games. He’s currently riding a six-game point streak, with five goals and five assists over that span.

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