Sunday picks: Caps add to Metro lead vs. Flyers
Welcome to NHL Picks where CBSSports.com hockey writers Chris Peters and Adam Gretz make their predictions for all the day’s games.
Philadelphia Flyers at Washington Capitals, noon ET, NBC
As the two best teams in football get ready to square off for the Super Bowl, the NHL’s best team will be in action as part of the league’s limited schedule this Sunday. The Washington Capitals will kick off the three-game slate this afternoon by welcoming the Philadelphia Flyers back to Verizon Center.
The last time the Flyers visited the nation’s capital, they came away with a 4-3 overtime win thanks to a rather sensational individual effort by Jakub Voracek in OT. With three wins in their last four games, Philadelphia is just four points out of the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a few games in hand yet. To pick up another win in Washington would be huge for this team, but the Caps have only lost six of 25 games at home this season.
Both clubs are coming off of games Saturday. The Caps beat the New Jersey Devils in an afternoon shootout, while the Flyers dropped a 3-2 decision to the rival Rangers. Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds was thrown out of the game after knocking Ryan McDonagh out of the game with a gloved punch. It is unclear if Simmonds will be disciplined further, but with it being this close to the game already, it appears unlikely.
In the Capitals’ game in New Jersey, forward Andre Burakovsky continued the best stretch of his young career with a goal. He has scored a goal at least once in each of his last five games and has 12 points over his last nine contests. Washington didn’t really need a whole lot more secondary scoring, but this 20-year-old appears to be coming into his own at about the best possible time for a team with designs on contending for the Stanley Cup.
It is not yet confirmed, but Braden Holtby appears likely to get the start for the second straight day. On each of the two occasions he started the second half of back-to-backs he picked up the win. He remains on pace to surpass Martin Brodeur’s record of 48 wins in a single season and continues to play brilliantly between the pipes with a .928 save percentage and 2.06 goals-against average.
The Capitals are so far above the rest of the Eastern Conference at this point, it’s tough to pick against them. They check so many boxes when it comes to what you look for in a complete team. There’s the great goalie, which is a tremendous start for any team. Then you throw in an elite offensive attack, depth on defense, an often physically punishing lineup and you’ve got one of the best teams in the league.
The Flyers are one of the few teams who have managed to go into the nation’s capital and grab a win, but doing it a second team will be way tougher. Look for another Caps win as they extend their massive lead on the Metropolitan Division. Pick: Capitals 4, Flyers 2
The rest of Sunday’s Picks
Carolina Hurricanes 3, Montreal Canadiens 2
New York Islanders 4, Edmonton Oilers 2
The Capitals will be looking to avenge a recent loss to the Flyers. (USATSI)
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