Wednesday NHL Odds, Picks, Prediction: Detroit Red Wings vs. Washington Capitals Betting Preview (Oct. 27)

Pat Pickens

Updated:

Oct 27, 2021, 03:23 PM EDT

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Wednesday NHL Odds, Picks, Prediction: Detroit Red Wings vs. Washington Capitals Betting Preview (Oct. 27) article feature image

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Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images. Pictured: Alex Ovechkin.

The high-powered Capitals are huge -205 favorites over the Red Wings in Wednesday's NHL action.
Detroit's offense looks capable this season, while the Caps are one of the NHL's best attacks.
Pat Pickens breaks down the matchup below and makes his betting pick.

Red Wings vs. Capitals Odds

Red Wings Odds	+165
Capitals Odds	-205
Over/Under	6.5
Time	7 p.m. ET
TV	ESPN+
Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here.

The surprising Red Wings will close a three-game road trip with a date against the Capitals in the nation's capital on Wednesday night. Detroit is coming off a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night.

The high-flying Capitals are the NHL's second highest-scoring team so far this season, behind only the Florida Panthers, and are 3-0-1 in their previous four games. Washington has not lost in regulation yet this season and has outscored its opponents 26-16.

Detroit Offense Has Potential

The Red Wings have been one of the season's early surprises, led by forward Tyler Bertuzzi, who is tied for second in goals in the NHL (six). Linemate Lucas Raymond leads all rookies in points (seven), and Detroit has scored the second-most goals among Atlantic Division teams.

Detroit boasts the NHL's fifth-best expected goals percentage (55.7%) at 5-on-5 in the NHL yet has been outscored 21-20 thus far this season. That's because starter Alex Nedeljkovic has struggled in the season's early going, sporting a ghastly .897 save percentage and 3.40 goals against average.

Ovechkin-Powered Caps Are Red Hot

The Capitals, unsurprisingly, are rolling, led as usual by all-everything left winger Alex Ovechkin, who leads the NHL with seven goals. As a team, Washington leads the NHL in 5-on-5 shooting percentage (13.8%), goals for percentage (74.1%), scoring-chance goals for percentage (89.5%) and high-danger goals for percentage (80%), according to Natural Stat Trick.

Between the pipes, Vitek Vanecek has been exceptional in his four games, stopping all 18 high-danger shots he's faced at 5-on-5 and boasting a .920 save percentage.

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Red Wings vs. Capitals Pick

These are two of the highest-scoring teams in the NHL with two dynamite 5-on-5 offenses. The over is a bit high, but each of these teams is averaging more than three goals per game — and somebody has to win. Plus, the odds are good.

The over feels like the play.

Pick: Over 6.5 (+100)

Pat Pickens

Action Contributor

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About the Author

Pat Pickens has covered the NHL since 2013, with bylines in The New York Times, Sportsnet.ca, NHL.com, Bleacher Report, USA Today and many others. His best hockey bet came on the Los Angeles Kings -1.5 in Game 1 of the 2012 Western Conference Final.

Follow Pat Pickens @Pat_Pickens on Twitter/X.

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