Washington Capitals vs Philadelphia Flyers Picks and Predictions March 20th 2025

Cruising Capitals Host Offensively-Challenged Flyers

The Washington Capitals (45-15-8, 98 points), leaders of the Eastern Conference, welcome the Philadelphia Flyers (28-33-8, 64 points) to the Capital One Arena on Thursday. The Capitals are riding high, having won seven of their last eight games, while the Flyers have dropped two straight and seven of their past eight.

Washington’s most recent victory came on Tuesday, when they took down the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on the road. Goaltender Logan Thompson made 23 saves to secure his fifth consecutive win, allowing just one goal for the second game in a row.

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Capitals Continue to Dominate

The Capitals are finding their form at just the right time. Tom Wilson, who scored his 30th goal of the season against Detroit, became just the third player in NHL history to record his first 30-goal season after playing at least 800 regular-season games.

“We’re a big chunk of the games into the season and we’re playing well,” Wilson said. “It’s the most important time of the year. We’ve put ourselves in a good spot here. We’ve just got to stay dialed in and make sure we’re playing our best hockey over the next month plus.”

Dylan Strome added a goal and an assist, while Aliaksei Protas chipped in with two assists to help the Capitals keep rolling. Meanwhile, Alex Ovechkin remains on the verge of history, needing just eight goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894. Ovechkin has been dominant against the Flyers throughout his career, netting 51 goals in 77 games against Philadelphia

Flyers Search for Offense

The Flyers enter Thursday’s matchup in a downward spiral, coming off back-to-back shutout losses. After falling 5-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, they were blanked 2-0 by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday.

Despite the loss to Tampa Bay, coach John Tortorella was positive about the team’s performance.

“We were patient, something we needed to be,” Tortorella said. “I thought (Ivan Fedotov) played really well. … The goaltending was good. I thought we played hard. I thought we checked really well and the patience level was good. We just needed someone to score a goal.”

Unfortunately for the Flyers, their power play has been virtually nonexistent. They have gone 0-for-5 on the man advantage in their last game and are a combined 0-for-23 over the past nine outings. During their recent eight-game stretch, the Flyers have managed just 12 goals.

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Goaltending and Special Teams Comparison

The Capitals’ goaltending remains rock-solid, with Logan Thompson stepping up and delivering key performances during this winning run. Their penalty kill has also been impressive, allowing just two power-play goals over the last seven games (18 successful penalty kills).

Meanwhile, the Flyers have struggled to capitalize on power plays, failing to score with the man advantage in each of their past nine games. Even when given a four-minute power play against Tampa Bay, they failed to make it count.

Flyers coach John Tortorella acknowledged the struggles.

“We’ve got to score a goal,” he said. “The four-minute penalty … it’s not good enough. We needed a play off our power play, and we didn’t get it.”

Key Matchup: Ovechkin vs. Flyers Defense

With Ovechkin closing in on the all-time goal record and maintaining his scoring touch, the Flyers’ defense will be under immense pressure. The Capitals have won each of the past five meetings with Philadelphia, and Ovechkin has found the back of the net in four of those games.

Betting Insights and Playoff Picture

• The Capitals are surging toward the playoffs, while the Flyers are in freefall and likely out of contention.
• Washington’s power play has struggled recently, going 0-for-11 in the last six games, but their penalty kill has been strong.
• Stanley Cup Odds and NHL Conference Winner Odds favor Washington as they continue their dominant run.

For the latest game odds, expert analysis, and betting insights, visit our Picks and Odds Page, guided by our Expert Betting Guide.

Final Thoughts

Can the Capitals extend their hot streak at home, or will the Flyers finally find some offensive spark and pull off a surprising upset? With playoff positioning and a potential record-breaking moment on the line for Ovechkin, this matchup promises to deliver plenty of action.