The Washington Capitals will try to finish off their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens when they meet in Game 5 on Wednesday. Washington won the first two games of the series at home before earning a split at Montreal with a 5-2 win in Game 4 on Sunday, taking a 3-1 series lead. The last three games of the series have been decided by multiple goals, but Washington needed overtime to win Game 1. Wednesday’s game is set to begin at 7 p.m. ET from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
Washington is a -192 favorite on the money line (risk $192 to win $100) in the latest Capitals vs. Canadiens odds at Caesars Sportsbook, while Montreal is the +159 underdog (risk $100 to win $159). The over/under for total goals scored is 6, and the Capitals are -1.5 (+135) on the puck line. Before making any Canadiens vs. Capitals picks, be sure to see the NHL predictions from SportsLine’s proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times. It enters the second full week of the 2025 NHL playoffs a combined 78-55 on top-rated NHL puck line and over/under betting picks, returning more than $1,500 for $100 players. Anybody following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns. Now, here are its three best bets for Capitals vs. Canadiens on Wednesday:
Capitals money line (-192)
Washington took care of business in its first two home games of the series, and the Capitals are in complete control following their 5-2 road win on Sunday. They poured in four goals in the third period, including two from Brandon Duhaime. Dylan Strome had one goal and one assist to give him seven points in the series. The SportsLine projection model has the Capitals winning Game 5 in almost 70% of simulations, while the implied odds of Washington winning are only 64% at Caesars.
You’ve seen one of the best bets for Capitals vs. Canadiens on Wednesday. Now, get picks for every game from the model that is on a 78-55 run on over/under and puck-line picks.
Nick Suzuki Under 2.5 shots on goal (-188)
Suzuki was a major factor in the first game of the series, scoring a goal while racking up seven shots on goal. However, he has just four combined shots on goal in the three games since then, and he only had one in Game 4 on Sunday. The 25-year-old averaged 2.1 shots on goal during the regular season, and the model has him finishing with 1.58 on Wednesday. DraftKings Sportsbook has the best line on the Under at -188.
Alex Ovechkin Under 3.5 shots on goal (+100)
Ovechkin has been in the headlines throughout his historic season, and he currently leads Washington with 13 shots on goal during the playoffs. However, he has six teammates with at least eight shots on goal in this series, so it has been a balanced effort for Washington’s attack. The veteran has gone Under his shots on goal total in four of his last five home games, and the model has him recording 3.3 in this game to provide value on the Under 3.5 (+100) at DraftKings.
Want more NHL picks for Wednesday? Matt Severance is SportsLine’s No. 1 NHL expert, going 131-66-7 in his last 204 NHL sides, returning more than $3,000 for $100 players. He has locked in a best bet for Wednesday night at SportsLine.