The Washington Capitals (20-14-5) host the New York Rangers (19-17-5) at Capital One Arena on Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 12:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with both teams heading into the game following a loss. The Capitals are coming off a 5-3 defeat to the Florida Panthers, while the Rangers fell to the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime in their last game.
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Before watching this matchup, here is a glimpse at which team we predict will bring home the victory in Wednesday's action on the ice.
The Rangers have recorded a 4-5-1 record over their last 10 games. They have scored 22 goals while conceding 25 in that time. On the power play, 31 opportunities have resulted in six goals (19.4% success rate).
Capitals vs. Rangers Predictions for Wednesday
Our computer projections model for this contest calls for a final result of Capitals 4, Rangers 2.
- Moneyline Pick: Capitals (-154)
- Total Pick: No Pick - Predicted Margin Negligible
- Spread Pick: Capitals (-1.5)
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Capitals Splits and Trends
- The Capitals have a 20-14-5 record overall, with a 2-5-7 record in matchups that have needed overtime.
- Washington is 5-3-1 (11 points) in its nine games decided by one goal.
- In the five games this season the Capitals recorded just one goal, they've finished 1-4-0 (two points).
- Washington has taken seven points from the seven games this season when it scored a pair of goals (2-2-3 record).
- The Capitals have scored more than two goals in 25 games (17-6-2, 36 points).
- In the 13 games when Washington has recorded a lone power-play goal, it registered 18 points after finishing 9-4-0.
- When it has outshot opponents, Washington is 10-7-2 (22 points).
- The Capitals have been outshot by opponents 16 times, and went 9-5-2 (20 points).
Rangers Splits and Trends
- The Rangers have earned a record of 7-5-12 in overtime matchups to contribute to an overall mark of 19-17-5.
- New York has earned 19 points (7-5-5) in its 17 games that finished with a one-goal margin.
- This season the Rangers registered only one goal in eight games and have gone 1-6-1 (three points).
- When New York has scored exactly two goals this season, they've earned seven points (2-2-3 record).
- The Rangers have earned 33 points in their 18 games with three or more goals scored.
- This season, New York has recorded a single power-play goal in 11 games has a record of 8-1-2 in those matchups.
- When outshooting its opponent this season, New York is 8-7-2 (18 points).
- The Rangers have been outshot by opponents in 23 games, going 10-10-3 to record 23 points.
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Team Stats Comparison
| Capitals Rank | Capitals AVG | Rangers AVG | Rangers Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 3.18 | Goals Scored | 2.54 | 31st |
| 8th | 2.74 | Goals Allowed | 2.68 | 7th |
| 7th | 29.2 | Shots | 25.6 | 28th |
| 13th | 27.7 | Shots Allowed | 28.3 | 19th |
| 30th | 15.18% | Power Play % | 19% | 17th |
| 26th | 76.61% | Penalty Kill % | 80.51% | 15th |
Capitals vs. Rangers Game Time and TV Channel
- When: Wednesday, December 31, 2025 at 12:30 p.m. 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.
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