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Blues Upbeat While Capitals Search for Identity Among Struggles
What began as another promising start for the Washington Capitals has taken a turn for the worse. After opening the season 6-2-0, Washington now finds itself on a 0-3-1 skid, struggling to generate offense and reeling from the loss of key center Pierre-Luc Dubois to a long-term lower-body injury.
The Capitals will try to steady the ship on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, when they host the St. Louis Blues at Capital One Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:30 PM ET on TNT.
The Blues, who snapped a seven-game winless streak with a gritty 3–2 win over the Edmonton Oilers, come into this matchup with renewed energy — and optimism that their rough patch may finally be behind them.
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Capitals Struggling to Find Rhythm
Head coach Spencer Carbery admits his team is still searching for its identity despite the early wins. “I know the record looked good early on, but I’m not fooled by that,” Carbery said. “We’re still trying to find ourselves as a team.”
The loss of Dubois — one of Washington’s most versatile two-way centers — has left a noticeable gap down the middle. His absence has forced Carbery to shuffle his lines, leaning more heavily on veterans Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome.
Ovechkin, however, has yet to find his usual scoring rhythm, tallying just two goals and five assists in 12 games. Meanwhile, the Capitals’ secondary scoring has gone quiet, with Connor McMichael and Anthony Beauvillier combining for only two goals.
Rasmus Sandin’s return from an upper-body injury should stabilize Washington’s blue line, but the Capitals’ offense remains the main concern.
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Blues Regain Confidence After Breaking Skid
The St. Louis Blues were in desperate need of a spark, and they got it with the return of Robert Thomas, who missed four games before returning with a goal and an assist in Monday’s win over Edmonton.
Even as the Blues endured their 0-5-2 slump, head coach Jim Montgomery said he never doubted his team’s potential. “There’s been belief in the room,” he said. “The analytics show we’re generating quality chances — we just needed results. Now we’ve got one, and we’ve got to keep building.”
Rookie Dalibor Dvorsky provided one of the night’s biggest moments, scoring his first NHL goal on the power play. Thomas praised the youngster’s impact, saying, “That was a wicked shot — it really changed the tide of the game.”
St. Louis continues to play a physical brand of hockey, ranking 8th in the NHL in hits (311), and their energy from that win could carry into Washington.
Injury Reports
St. Louis Blues
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Zach Dean (C) | Out | Personal |
| Torey Krug (D) | Out | Ankle |
| Jake Neighbours (LW) | Out | Leg |
Washington Capitals
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Pierre-Luc Dubois (C) | Out | Lower Body |
| Ethen Frank (C) | Out | Undisclosed |
| Rasmus Sandin (D) | Questionable | Upper Body |
Stay updated on roster shifts and starting goaltenders via NHL Scores and Odds.
Betting Insights and Trends
Both teams are trending in opposite directions entering this matchup. Washington is looking to break a losing streak, while St. Louis is riding the momentum of a long-awaited win.
- St. Louis Blues are 8–2 ATS as underdogs (80.0%).
- Blues have hit the Over in 7 of their last 10 games (70.0%).
- Washington Capitals are 0–3 SU in their last three games.
- Capitals are 3–1 SU in division play.
- The Over has hit in 4 of the last 6 games between these two teams.
Explore more matchup stats and betting data on the NHL Expert Betting Guide.
Matchup Breakdown
The Capitals remain favorites on home ice (-151), but their offensive inconsistency makes this a dangerous spot against a Blues team beginning to find its rhythm again.
Washington’s defense has held up well — ranking top five in goals against — but the lack of secondary scoring has made every mistake costly. On the other side, St. Louis has rediscovered its confidence with Thomas back in the lineup and Dvorsky adding energy to the power play.
If the Blues can maintain their physical edge and capitalize on the Capitals’ defensive lapses, they have a realistic path to back-to-back wins.
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Prediction
The Capitals’ home ice advantage and goaltending could carry them early, but the Blues’ reenergized lineup and superior momentum tilt the scales slightly in their favor. Expect a competitive, physical game decided by special teams and puck management in the third period.
Projected Final Score: Blues 4, Capitals 3 (OT)
Best Bets: Blues +128 | Over 6.0
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