Friday’s NHL slate features a matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena, with the puck dropping at 7:00 PM ET. Whether you’re looking to make a single bet or plan to put together a parlay, you’ll want to check out our picks and predictions in the piece below.

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Hurricanes vs. Capitals Picks

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Total Pick

Pick OU: Over 6 (model projecting 6.5 goals)

• Carolina and its opponent have hit the over on this game’s total (6 goals) 19 times this season.
• In Washington’s 31 games this season, 19 have finished with more goals than Friday’s over/under of 6.
• The total for this game (6) is 1.4 less than the combined scoring averages for the Hurricanes (3.61) and Capitals (3.81).
• These two teams concede a combined 5.4 goals per game, 0.5 less than this one’s over/under.

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Moneyline Pick

Hurricanes Moneyline: -142

• The Hurricanes are 19-10 when favored on the moneyline this season.
• When playing with moneyline odds of -142 or shorter, Carolina has put together a 17-8 record (winning 68.0% of its games).
• The Hurricanes have a 58.7% chance (based on the moneyline’s implied probability) to win this game.

Capitals Moneyline: +120

• In Washington’s 18 games playing as the underdog on the moneyline this season, it has 12 wins.
• The Capitals have eight wins in games when their odds are +120 or longer on the moneyline (in 13 opportunities).
• Washington has a 45.5% chance to win this matchup (implied from its moneyline odds).

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Score Prediction

Prediction:
Washington 4, Carolina 3

Hurricanes Points Leaders

• One of Carolina’s top offensive options this season is Martin Necas, who has recorded 44 points in 31 games.
• Sebastian Aho is another of Carolina’s major contributors currently with 33 total points (nine goals and 24 assists) to his name.
• On 61 shots (for six goals) and 21 assists, Shayne Gostisbehere has created 27 points this season.
• In the 19 games Pyotr Kochetkov has played this season, his save percentage is .902, 31st in the league.

Capitals Points Leaders

• Dylan Strome’s 11 goals and 27 assists in 31 matchups give him 38 points on the season, making him a key part of his team’s offense.
• Connor McMichael has made a major impact for Washington this season with 27 points, thanks to 15 goals and 12 assists.
• Aliaksei Protas has scored 11 goals and contributed 15 assists for Washington, giving him a point total of 26.
• Logan Thompson’s record stands at 12-2-2 on the season, giving up 40 goals (2.5 goals against average) and collecting 408 saves with a .911 save percentage (16th in the league).

Hurricanes’ Schedule

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Capitals’ Schedule

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Carolina vs. Washington Game Info

• Date: Friday, December 20, 2024
• 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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