On Thursday, January 2 at 7:00 PM ET, the Washington Capitals are slated to square off against the Minnesota Wild at Capital One Arena. For best bets, picks, and predictions for this game, read on.

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Capitals vs. Wild Picks

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Total Pick

Pick OU: Over 5.5 (model projecting 6 goals)

• Washington and its opponent have combined to outscore Thursday’s total (5.5 goals) 21 times this season.
• In Minnesota’s 38 games this season, 18 have finished with more goals than Thursday’s total of 5.5.
• These two teams combine for 6.6 goals per game, 1.0999999999999996 more than the total for this contest.
• These two teams give up a combined 5.3 goals per game, 0.2 less than this one’s over/under.

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Moneyline Pick

Capitals Moneyline: -148

• The Capitals are 12-5 when listed as a moneyline favorite this season.
• Washington is 8-4 (winning 66.7% of its games) when playing with moneyline odds of -148 or shorter.
• The Capitals have a 59.7% chance (based on the moneyline’s implied probability) to win this matchup.

Wild Moneyline: +125

• In Minnesota’s 13 games as the underdog on the moneyline this season, it has five wins.
• The Wild have won four games with moneyline odds of +125 or longer (in nine such games).
• Minnesota has a 44.4% implied probability to win this game.

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Score Prediction

Prediction:
Washington 4, Minnesota 2

Capitals Points Leaders

• Dylan Strome has been imperative to Washington’s offense this season, racking up 40 points in 37 games.
• Aliaksei Protas has 16 goals and 16 assists for Washington to compile 32 total points (0.9 per game).
• On 96 shots (for 16 goals) and 14 assists, Connor McMichael has recorded 30 points this season.
• In the 19 games Logan Thompson has played this season, his save percentage is .918, the seventh-best in the league.

Wild Points Leaders

• Kirill Kaprizov is a key offensive option for Minnesota, with 50 points this season. He has recorded 23 goals and 27 assists in 34 games.
• Marco Rossi is a key contributor for Minnesota, with 32 total points this season. He has scored 14 goals and provided 18 assists in 38 games.
• Minnesota’s Matthew Boldy has 31 points, courtesy of 13 goals (third on team) and 18 assists (second).
• Filip Gustavsson has a .924 save percentage (sixth-best in the league), with 713 total saves, while allowing 59 goals (2.3 goals against average). He has put up a 17-6-3 record between the posts for Minnesota this season.

Capitals’ Schedule

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Wild’s Schedule

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Washington vs. Minnesota Game Info

• Date: Thursday, January 2, 2025
• 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: Washington D.C.
• Venue: Capital One Arena

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