The Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals meet in an Eastern Conference duel tonight to kick off both teams' seasons. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. The game will be broadcast live on TNT.
The Capitals are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-110o / -110u). The Capitals are a -200 favorite to win outright, while the Bruins are +164 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Bruins vs. Capitals predictions and NHL picks.
Bruins vs. Capitals Odds, Pick
| Bruins Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -165 | 5.5 -110o / -110u | +160 |
| Capitals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +145 | 5.5 -110o / -110u | -190 |
- Bruins vs. Capitals Spread: Capitals -1.5 (+145 ), Bruins +1.5 (-165)
- Bruins vs. Capitals Over/Under: 5.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Bruins vs. Capitals Moneyline: Bruins +160, Capitals -190
Bruins vs. Capitals Preview
Outside of anything Alexander Ovechkin-related, the biggest story for the Washington Capitals last season was the play of goaltender Logan Thompson. He narrowly missed becoming a Vezina Trophy finalist as he helped carry the Capitals to a Metropolitan Division title.
Through 43 appearances, Washington’s netminder finished with a 31-6-6 record, a .910 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.49 goals-against average (GAA). One of those appearances came against the Boston Bruins, a game in which Thompson stopped 26 of 27 shots for a .963 SV% en route to a 3-1 victory.
Another low-scoring affair is likely, given that goaltender Jeremy Swayman is slated to start across the ice. After receiving Vezina Trophy votes in 2023-24, Swayman’s numbers declined last season.
However, there are reasons to expect a strong outing in this season’s opener. First, Swayman often played behind a depleted defensive corps last year, but that group is fully healthy to start the season.
Second, Swayman has historically thrived against Washington. Through 10 meetings, Boston’s goaltender boasts a .923 SV% and 1.98 GAA, allowing two or fewer goals in nine of those 10 outings.
Bruins vs. Capitals Prediction
That said, goal support was often a major issue for Swayman in 2025. Boston finished the year 28th in expected goals for per 60 minutes.
Given those variables, along with Thompson’s strong goaltending, it should not be surprising that the under has been a consistently profitable bet when these teams square off.
There have been five or fewer total goals scored in five of the past six meetings between the clubs, a trend expected to continue Wednesday.
Best Bet: Under 5.5 (-108 | Play to -115)
