Ottawa vs Washington Prediction 31 January 2025

🔊 Who will come out on top in the battle of the capitals? Ottawa continues its fight for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoff eight and has recently been silencing many of its critics. The club is already sixth in the conference standings, but it lacks a safety margin. Washington, on the other hand, continues its winning stride and is increasingly distancing itself from its competitors.

📊 Head-to-Head

In the current regular season, the opponents have met once, and it was relatively recently. In mid-January, the "Senators" couldn't score a single puck against the "Capitals" on their home ice but held off the opponent's pressure and took the game to overtime. In extra time, a precise wrist shot by Alexander Ovechkin decided the fate of the matchup. The Russian continues his personal chase for Wayne Gretzky's record but has slowed down a bit, scoring only one goal in the last five games.

🔴 Ottawa

Travis Green's team is having a fantastic 2025. Despite numerous setbacks at the start of the season, the second half of the regular season has been extremely successful for the team. In their last ten games, the "Senators" have lost in regulation time only twice, and in both cases, they were shut out. However, these setbacks did not derail them. The club from Canada's capital has already achieved an interim goal by reaching sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. However, the competition is too tight for them to relax.

⚪ Washington

The "Capitals" have long since stopped surprising experts and fans with their numerous successes. It has become routine. There are only two questions regarding the team: how did they manage to assemble such a puzzle of players in the U.S. capital, and how long will the club remain on its winning streak? The first question will be a subject of deep analysis by journalists, while the second should be postponed until spring. The visitors are not slowing down at all and have only had one slip-up in their last eight games. That individual performance by Vancouver's goaltender Kevin Lankinen (97% SV) did not unsettle the Washington players, as they calmly defeated Calgary (3:1) afterward.

🔗 Probable Lineups

Ottawa: Meriläinen - Zub, Sanderson - Perron, Stützle, Tkachuk

Washington: Thompson - Sandin, Carlson - McMichael, Strome, Ovechkin

🥅 Goalkeepers

Ottawa's goaltender Leevi Meriläinen remains one of the main heroes in Canada's capital. The young Finn from the farm club is having an outstanding season and is proving his worth as the NHL club's number one. In his last game, the goaltender nearly "shut out" Utah (97.1% SV) and once again made the club's management seriously consider a new contract.

Washington's goaltender Logan Thompson signed a new five-year contract with the club. Last summer, the former Vegas goaltender decided to make a significant change by moving to the U.S. capital to become a main roster player, and he achieved this in brilliant style. The Canadian gave "the Flames" almost no chance in his last game (97% SV).

📝 Editorial Prediction

The matchups between these teams have been quite intense for many years, but they are particularly challenging for players from the U.S. capital. Washington has failed to win in regulation time in Ontario province in seven of their last eight games. This trend has already been confirmed in the current regular season and, in our opinion, remains relevant. The home team desperately needs points, so they won't surrender to the conference leader without a fight. We recommend betting on - Ottawa will not lose.