Get our full Hurricanes vs. Capitals game 1 preview with odds, series recap, player props, parlay picks, and final prediction for this NHL Playoffs second round game.
The puck drops Tuesday night in D.C. as the Carolina Hurricanes take on the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of their Second Round NHL Playoffs series. Despite being the underdog, the Capitals come into this one hot, having gone 6-4 in their last 10 games and boasting one of the league’s most lethal offenses. Carolina enters as the favorite, but they’ll have to match the physicality and efficiency of a Capitals squad that has outperformed expectations all season.
Carolina’s offense is deep and balanced, led by Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, while Washington leans on the legendary Alex Ovechkin and playmaker Dylan Strome. In net, Logan Thompson has been stellar for the Caps, while Pyotr Kochetkov will need to tighten up for the Canes to steal one on the road.
This is their fifth meeting this season (see image), with Washington winning three of the last four, including a thrilling 5–4 shootout win on April 11. Can the Hurricanes flip the script? Let’s break it all down.
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📺 Where To Watch Hurricanes vs. Capitals? (May 6, 2025)
| Detail | Info |
| 🕒 Date | Tuesday, May 6, 2025 |
| 🏟️ Venue | Capital One Arena, Washington, D.C. |
| 📺 TV | ESPN |
| 📡 Stream | Fubo |
💰 Betting Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total (O/U) |
| Hurricanes | -125 | -1.5 (+195) | 5.5 (O: -110 / U: -110) |
| Capitals | +105 | +1.5 (-240) | 5.5 (O: -110 / U: -110) |
📊 Head-to-Head Results (This Season)
| Date | Result |
| Apr 11, 2025 | Capitals 5–4 Hurricanes (SO) |
| Mar 4, 2025 | Hurricanes 5–1 Capitals |
| Dec 21, 2024 | Capitals 3–1 Hurricanes |
| Nov 3, 2024 | Hurricanes 4–2 Capitals |
Washington leads the season series 3–1.
📈 Betting Trends
- Over 5.5 goals have been scored in 46 Hurricanes games and 48 Capitals games.
- These teams average 6.7 goals per game combined.
- Capitals are 20-14 as underdogs, winning 58.8% of those games.
- Hurricanes are 48-32 as moneyline favorites this season.
🔑 Key Players to Watch
🌀 Hurricanes
- Sebastian Aho – 74 PTS (79 GP): The heartbeat of the Carolina attack.
- Seth Jarvis – 67 PTS, 32 G: Brings scoring punch from the wing.
- Pyotr Kochetkov – 27-16-3, 2.6 GAA, .897 SV%: Needs a bounce-back postseason.
🦅 Capitals
- Dylan Strome – 82 PTS: The league’s most underrated playmaker.
- Alex Ovechkin – 73 PTS, 44 G in just 65 GP: Playoff pedigree and a flamethrower shot.
- Logan Thompson – 31-6-6, 2.5 GAA, .910 SV%: Anchoring Washington’s playoff hopes in net.
🚑 Injury Report
| Team | Player | Status |
| Hurricanes | Jesper Fast | Out (Neck – Season) |
| Hurricanes | Frederik Andersen | Day-to-Day (Undisclosed) |
| Capitals | Nicklas Backstrom | Out (Hip – Season) |
| Capitals | Sonny Milano | Out (Upper Body) |
| Capitals | T.J. Oshie | Out (Back – Season) |
| Capitals | Martin Fehervary | Out (Meniscus – Season) |
🎯 Prop Bets (Highlights)
| Player | Prop | Line | Over Odds |
| Sebastian Aho | Points | 1.5 | +140 |
| Alex Ovechkin | Goals | 0.5 | +110 |
| Dylan Strome | Assists | 1.0 | +120 |
| Pyotr Kochetkov | Saves | 27.5 | -105 |
| Logan Thompson | Saves | 29.5 | -110 |
🔗 Same Game Parlay (SGP)
| Leg | Pick |
| Spread | Capitals +1.5 |
| Total | Over 5.5 Goals |
| Player Prop | Ovechkin Anytime Goal |
| ✅ Odds | +580 |
🔮 Final ClutchBuzz Capitals vs. Hurricanes Prediction
The Capitals have the firepower, the goaltending edge, and the home crowd. Carolina has the experience and consistency—but Washington’s momentum and Ovechkin’s sniping can’t be ignored in Game 1. We see a high-energy opener where the underdog bites first.
📍 Final Score: Capitals 4, Hurricanes 2
🔥 Best Bets: Capitals ML (+105), Over 5.5 (-110)
