A pair of the top teams in the league, the Washington Capitals (first in the Eastern Conference at 25-10-2) and the Minnesota Wild (third in the Western Conference at 23-11-4), square off on Thursday, January 2 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN+.
Sign up for ESPN+ today to watch 1,000+ out-of-market NHL games, ESPN+ Hockey Night & more.
Before this matchup, here is who we expect to take home the victory in Thursday's hockey action.
The Wild have gone 4-6-0 over their past 10 games, putting up 22 goals while giving up 34 in that period. On 26 power-play opportunities during that time, they have scored five goals (19.2%).
Capitals vs. Wild Predictions for Thursday
Our computer projections model for this encounter calls for a final result of Capitals 4, Wild 2.
- Moneyline Pick: Capitals (-170)
- Total Pick: No Pick - Predicted Margin Negligible
- Spread Pick: Capitals (-1.5)
Watch 1,000+ out-of-market NHL games, ESPN+ Hockey Night & more streaming all season on ESPN+.
Capitals Splits and Trends
- The Capitals are 25-10-2 overall and 3-2-5 in overtime contests.
- Washington is 7-3-2 (16 points) in its 12 games decided by one goal.
- In the four games this season the Capitals scored just one goal, they finished 0-3-1.
- Washington finished 1-5-0 in the six games this season when it scored a pair of goals (registering two points).
- The Capitals have scored at least three goals in 26 games (24-1-1, 49 points).
- In the 15 games when Washington has recorded a single power-play goal, it went 11-4-0 to register 22 points.
- In the 20 games this season in which it has outshot its opponent, Washington is 16-4-0 (32 points).
- The Capitals have been outshot by opponents 15 times, and went 8-5-2 (18 points).
Wild Splits and Trends
- The Wild have earned a record of 5-4-9 in overtime matchups to contribute to an overall mark of 23-11-4.
- Minnesota has earned 18 points (8-3-2) in its 13 games decided by one goal.
- Across the 11 games this season the Wild ended with just one goal, they have earned four points.
- Minnesota has two points (1-1-0) in two games this season when it has scored exactly two goals.
- The Wild have scored three or more goals 24 times, earning 44 points from those matchups (21-1-2).
- Minnesota has scored a lone power-play goal in 14 games this season and has recorded 20 points from those matchups.
- When outshooting its opponent this season, Minnesota is 11-3-2 (24 points).
- The Wild have been outshot by opponents in 22 games, going 12-8-2 to register 26 points.
Looking for NHL tickets? Head to StubHub today and see your team live.
Team Stats Comparison
| Capitals Rank | Capitals AVG | Wild AVG | Wild Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | 3.65 | Goals Scored | 2.95 | 20th |
| 5th | 2.59 | Goals Allowed | 2.68 | 6th |
| 19th | 28.1 | Shots | 28.3 | 16th |
| 10th | 27.4 | Shots Allowed | 29.2 | 21st |
| 14th | 22.22% | Power Play % | 19% | 20th |
| 7th | 83.33% | Penalty Kill % | 70.33% | 30th |
Capitals vs. Wild Game Time and TV Channel
- When: Thursday, January 2, 2025 at 7:00 PM ET
- TV Channel: ESPN+
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
- Where: Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.
Sign up for ESPN+ to watch the Capitals square off against Wild.