Washington Capitals vs Florida Panthers February 4th 2025
The Panthers and Capitals are set to face off at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The Capitals will host the game at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. The Panthers are favored by -1.5 in this Eastern conference contest against the Capitals. The game’s over/under currently sits at 5.5 goals.
Florida vs. Washington Key Information
- Teams: Panthers at Capitals
- Where: Capital One Arena Washington
- Date: Tuesday, February 4th
- Betting Odds FLA -122 | WAS +103 O/U 5.5
The Panthers Can Win If…
With a 4-2 win over the Stars, the Panthers improved to 32-19-3. Florida covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals fell just short of the 6.5-goal line.
All four of Florida’s goals came from different players, with Sam Reinhart’s empty-netter sealing the win. The Panthers led 2-0 before the Stars tied it, but A.J. Greer’s goal in the third period put Florida ahead for good.
Carolina’s offense produced 4 goals in their 4-2 win over Dallas. A.J. Greer netted his first goal of the season, while Sam Reinhart scored his 10th on an empty net. The Panthers took 25 shots on goal and scored once on the power play, with Matthew Tkachuk finding the net for the third time this season.
Carolina’s 16 giveaways didn’t stop them from getting on the board early, with Evan Rodrigues scoring his third goal at 5:15 in the first period. The Panthers added a second goal in the second period before Greer and Reinhart sealed the win with two more in the third.
Defensively, the Panthers will look to build on their last game, where they allowed two goals to Dallas. Spencer Knight made 23 saves with a 92% save percentage, and the defense recorded 8 takeaways and 22 hits. After giving up two goals in the 2nd period, the Panthers shut out the Stars in the 3rd.
- The Panthers have posted a 3-0 record in their previous three games. Against the spread, the team is 3-0 in these same games while going 2-1 on the over/under.
- Florida has put together a record of 7-3 in their last ten games (regular season). Their record vs the puck line sits at 8-2 in these matchups, while posting a 5-5 over-under mark.
The Capitals Can Win If…
Washington’s 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes dropped their record to 34-11-7. The Capitals were the underdogs on the puck line, and the total was set at 6 goals, resulting in a push.
After giving up the first goal, Washington responded with two goals in the first period. However, the Hurricanes scored three unanswered goals to secure the win.
Washington’s offense was held to just two goals on 21 shots in their 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes. Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season on a power play, while Brandon Duhaime added his 2nd goal of the year.
Both of the Capitals’ goals came in the first period, with Duhaime scoring at the 19:49 mark. Nic Dowd picked up his 2nd assist of the season, and Dylan Strome recorded his 13th assist on Ovechkin’s goal. Washington finished the game with 15 giveaways..
Washington’s defense struggled after the first period, giving up three unanswered goals. The first came just 2:29 into the second period, followed by another at the 5:26 mark. The Hurricanes added an empty-net goal with nine seconds left in the third. Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage, but the defense allowed 44 shots on goal.
- Washington has put together a record of 1-2 in their last three games (regular season). They have held up well vs the puck line in these matchups, going 2-1 as well as an over-under record of 2-1.
- The Capitals have gone 7-3 over their last ten regular season games. In these matchups, they ended with an puck line record of 8-2 and an over-under mark of 2-8.
The Lean
For a moneyline bet, I’m backing the Capitals to secure a victory over the Panthers at home. With the moneyline currently set at +103, I’m locking in my bet on the Capitals straight-up.
Our projections have the Capitals pulling out a win as the underdog. But if you’re not as bullish as we are on the Capitals, we’d recommend at least getting a bet down on them to cover the puck line.
With an over/under line sitting at 5.5 goals, we like this game to surpass that mark and recommend getting a bet down on the over.
Streaking Panthers Face Road Test Against Ovechkin, Capitals
Panthers Riding Momentum After Perfect Homestand
The Florida Panthers (34-15-4, 72 points) enter Tuesday’s matchup against the Washington Capitals (29-17-7, 65 points) with plenty of confidence after sweeping a three-game homestand. Florida sits atop the Atlantic Division, but they’ll have to prove they can keep up their high-scoring attack on the road.
Carter Verhaeghe has been instrumental in Florida’s recent success, recording four goals and two assists in the last two games. He notched his fourth career hat trick in Sunday’s 6-3 win over the Islanders and has been firing shots at an impressive rate.
“It was nice. I have been shooting it a lot lately, so it feels good to have a couple go in,” Verhaeghe said after Sunday’s win.
Verhaeghe isn’t the only Panther heating up:
- Sam Reinhart has back-to-back goals, bringing his season total to 31.
- Matthew Tkachuk has nine points (four goals, five assists) in his last five games.
- Aleksander Barkov recorded three assists against the Islanders and has eight points in his last five games.
Florida will look to avenge a 4-1 loss to Washington from Nov. 25, a game in which the Panthers struggled after an early goal from Verhaeghe.

Capitals Extend Home Point Streak Despite Recent Losses
While Washington leads the Metropolitan Division, they’ve struggled to close out games lately. The Capitals have lost three of their last four (1-1-2), including back-to-back 5-4 overtime losses.
Even in defeat, Washington continues to rack up points at home, extending their home point streak to 13 games (9-0-4) with Saturday’s loss to Winnipeg.
However, Carbery acknowledged Washington missed chances to win in regulation.
“We make a silly mental mistake in overtime and let (Josh) Morrissey beat us off the wall. That’s uncharacteristic. That’s not us.”
Ovechkin Closes in on Gretzky’s Goal Record
Alex Ovechkin is on a two-game goal streak, and his blast from the point on Saturday tied the game against Winnipeg late in the third period.
The three-time Hart Trophy winner now has:
- 24 goals this season
- 877 career goals
- 18 goals needed to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record (894 goals)
Ovechkin’s scoring touch will be crucial as the Capitals attempt to slow down Florida’s high-powered offense.
Who Has the Edge?
The Panthers dominated at home, but can they keep rolling against Washington’s stingy defense?
Florida’s firepower is undeniable, but the Capitals thrive in tight games—especially on home ice. With Ovechkin heating up and Florida seeking revenge, this is shaping up to be a must-watch showdown.