Saturday’s NHL slate includes a game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena, with the puck dropping at 12:30 p.m. ET. Whether you’re looking to make a single bet or plan to put together a parlay, you’ll want to take a look at our picks and projections in the piece below.

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Lightning vs. Capitals Picks

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Total Pick

Pick OU: Over 6 (model projecting 6.2 goals)

• Tampa Bay and its opponent have hit the over on this game’s total (6 goals) 31 times this season.
• In Washington’s 59 games this season, 32 have finished with more goals than Saturday’s over/under of 6.
• The Lightning score 3.57 goals per game, compared to the Capitals’ average of 3.63, adding up to 1.2 more goals than this contest’s over/under of 6.
• This game’s total is 0.8 more than the 5.2 goals these two teams concede per game combined.

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Moneyline Pick

Lightning Moneyline: -111

• The Lightning have won 66.7% of their games when favored on the moneyline this season (28-14).
• Tampa Bay is 28-14 (victorious in 66.7% of its games) when it has played with moneyline odds of -111 or shorter.
• The Lightning have a 52.6% chance (based on the moneyline’s implied probability) to win this matchup.

Capitals Moneyline: -109

• Washington has claimed an upset victory 17 times when playing as the moneyline underdog this season (in 25 games as the underdog).
• The Capitals have 17 wins in games when their odds are -109 or longer on the moneyline (in 25 opportunities).
• Washington’s implied probability to win is 52.2% based on its moneyline odds.

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Score Prediction

Prediction:
Washington 4, Tampa Bay 2

Lightning Points Leaders

• With 27 goals and 58 assists this season, Nikita Kucherov is one of Tampa Bay’s top contributors (85 points).
• With 29 goals and 38 assists, Brandon Hagel is one of the most important offensive options for Tampa Bay with his 67 points (1.2 per game).
• On 135 shots (for 31 goals) and 29 assists, Brayden Point has created 60 points this season.
• Andrei Vasilevskiy (28-15-3) has a 2.2 goals against average and a save percentage of .922 for Tampa Bay.

Capitals Points Leaders

• Dylan Strome is a top offensive contributor for his squad with 59 points (one per game). He has totaled 18 goals and 41 assists in 59 games (playing 17:32 per game).
• Aliaksei Protas is key for Washington’s attack with 50 total points (0.8 per game), including 23 goals and 27 assists through 59 games.
• Pierre-Luc Dubois has scored 14 goals and contributed 35 assists for Washington, giving him a point total of 49.
• Logan Thompson has a .919 save percentage (fifth-best in the league), with 855 total saves, while giving up 75 goals (2.3 goals against average). He has compiled a 25-3-5 record between the posts for Washington this season.

Lightning’s Schedule

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Capitals’ Schedule

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Tampa Bay vs. Washington Game Info

• Date: Saturday, March 1, 2025
• Time: 12:30 p.m. ET
• How to watch on TV: ESPN+
• Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
• Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
• Location: Washington D.C.
• Venue: Capital One Arena

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