Carolina Hurricanes vs Washington Capitals Picks and Predictions April 2nd 2025

Carolina Hurricanes vs Washington Capitals April 2nd 2025

Making on a bet on this NHL game featuring the Capitals versus the Hurricanes? The puck drops at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on TNT. The game will be played at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC. The over/under for this matchup is currently set at 5.5 goals and the Hurricanes are the -1.5 favorite to win at home vs. the Capitals.

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Washington vs. Carolina Key Information

• Teams: Capitals at Hurricanes
• Where: Lenovo Center Raleigh
• Date: Wednesday, April 2nd
• Betting Odds CAR -170 | WAS +145 O/U 5.5

The Capitals Can Win If…

Washington’s 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes moved their record to 48-17-9. The Capitals were underdogs on the puck line and the total of 6 goals resulted in a push.

After trailing 1-0, Washington scored twice in the first period to take the lead. However, the Hurricanes responded with three unanswered goals, including an empty-netter, to secure the win.

Washington’s offense was held to just two goals in their 4-2 loss to Carolina. Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season on a power play, while Brandon Duhaime followed with his 2nd goal. The Capitals took 21 shots on goal but were hindered by 15 giveaways.

Both of Washington’s goals came in the first period, with Duhaime scoring at the 19:49 mark. Nic Dowd picked up his 2nd assist of the season, and Dylan Strome added his 13th assist on Ovechkin’s goal.

The Capitals’ defense gave up the first goal of the game, but they took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. However, they allowed three unanswered goals, including two in the second period and an empty-netter late in the third. Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage. Defensively, the Capitals had 16 blocks and 2 takeaways.

• Washington has put together a record of 1-2 in their last three games (regular season). The team’s record vs the puck line was just 0-3, in addition to an over-under mark of 3-0.
• Across Washington’s last ten regular season games, their record sits at 6-4. In these matchups, they ended with an puck line record of 5-5 and an over-under mark of 5-4-1.

The Hurricanes Can Win If…

The Hurricanes improved to 45-24-4 with a 4-2 road win over the Capitals. Carolina covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 6 goals resulted in a push.

Carolina scored the game’s first goal, but the Capitals responded with two goals in the first period. The Hurricanes then scored three unanswered goals to secure the victory.

Dmitry Orlov led the way for the Hurricanes with two goals, now sitting at three for the season. Orlov’s second came in the second period, after Martin Necas netted his sixth goal of the year. Andrei Svechnikov added his sixth goal as well, sealing the game with an empty-netter at 19:51 in the third period.

Carolina fired 45 shots on goal but came up empty on power play opportunities. The Hurricanes had 14 offensive giveaways and scored their first goal at 5:59 in the first period.

Carolina’s defense gave up two late first-period goals, but they locked things down after that, not allowing another goal to the Capitals. Pyotr Kochetkov finished with 19 saves and a 90.5% save percentage, while the defense added 7 takeaways and 10 hits.

• Carolina has put together a record of 2-1 over their past three games. In these games, they have a 2-1 record vs the puck line and an over-under mark of 1-2.
• The Hurricanes have gone 8-2 over their last ten regular season games. Their record against the puck line in this stretch is 8-2 to go along with an over-under mark of 4-5-1.

The Lean

For a moneyline pick, I’m taking the Hurricanes to pick up on a win over the Capitals at home. With the moneyline sitting at -170, I’ll be locking in a bet on the Hurricanes straight-up.

My recommended pick for the puck line is to take the Capitals to cover. Even if the Hurricanes win straight-up, this one should be close throughout and the Capitals should cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 5.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.

Capitals Seek to Rebound

The Capitals (48-17-9, 105 points) are riding a spark after a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night that brought them within one point of the top spot in the NHL standings, just behind the Winnipeg Jets. Despite losing three in a row (0-2-1), the Caps are determined to return to the win column and get back into the playoff conversation.

Superstar captain Alex Ovechkin, who now has 38 goals in 58 games, scored his 891st career goal on Tuesday—narrowly missing an empty-net chance that would have further edged him closer to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. Ovechkin, along with Dylan Strome (who also added a goal and an assist), provided key offensive contributions, while Charlie Lindgren made 21 saves to help Washington secure the win.

Fresh forward Ryan Leonard, making his NHL debut after signing a three-year entry-level contract following his Boston College career, played 14:14 and posted a plus-1. Ovechkin praised Leonard for his solid, physical play and expressed confidence in his bright future. Additionally, defenseman Dylan McIlrath returned to the lineup in his first NHL action since December 23, stepping in for the absent Matt Roy.

Hurricanes Eye Bounce-Back

The Carolina Hurricanes (45-24-4, 94 points) are on a hot streak, having won 11 of their last 13 games, and are now within 11 points of the Metropolitan Division-leading Capitals. Fresh off a 4-2 shootout loss to the New York Islanders on Sunday—where the Hurricanes saw key contributions from Seth Jarvis (two goals), Sebastian Aho (a goal and two assists), and Logan Stankoven—they are eager to get back to winning ways.

Carolina’s power-play unit has been a bright spot, connecting in each of the last four games. Aho, whose power-play goal on Sunday was his first since March 1, emphasized that the team has been working together to create scoring opportunities, even though captain Jordan Staal missed the game with a lower-body injury.

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The Road Ahead

The teams have met twice before this season, with the final meeting scheduled in Washington, D.C., on April 10. With the Capitals and Hurricanes both pushing for every point as the postseason approaches, Wednesday’s game is poised to be a high-intensity affair. While Washington looks to stabilize its recent slide, Carolina aims to keep the momentum going by continuing their offensive and special-teams success.

For more NHL expert picks and analysis on this crucial Eastern Conference clash, visit our NHL Expert Picks page.