The Washington Capitals will try to even up the playing field when they host the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs conference semifinals on Thursday. Jaccob Slavin was the hero in Game 1, as the Hurricanes secured a 2-1 overtime victory on the road. Puck drop at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. is 7 p.m. ET.
Carolina is a -168 favorite on the money line (risk $168 to win $100) in the latest Capitals vs. Hurricanes odds, while Washington is a +141 underdog (risk $100 to win $141). The over/under for total goals scored is 5.5, and the Hurricanes are also -1.5 (+149) on the puck line. Before making any Hurricanes 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 conference semifinals 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 best bets for Capitals vs. Hurricanes on Thursday:
Capitals +1.5 (-180)
The last two meetings between the Capitals and Hurricanes have been decided by one goal, and the model is predicting the home team keeps the score neck and neck in Game 2. Carolina heavily outshot Washington 33-14 in Game 1, so Alex Ovechkin and company could turn up the heat on the Hurricanes defense to avoid heading to Game 3 in Raleigh in a 2-0 series hole. The SportsLine model projects the Capitals cover the puck line in over 80% of simulations.
You’ve seen one of the best bets for Capitals vs. Hurricanes on Thursday. Now, get picks for every game from the model that enters the conference semifinals of the 2025 NHL playoffs a combined 78-55 on top-rated NHL puck-line and over/under betting picks.
Under 5.5 (-102)
The Under has hit in four of six playoff games for both Carolina and Washington. Both starting goaltenders, Frederik Andersen and Logan Thompson, have played well throughout their respective teams’ postseason runs. Plus, Washington has one of the best defenses in the NHL with Slavin at the helm.
Under 5.5 goals is listed at -102 odds at BetMGM Sportsbook, where you can get up to $1,500 in bonus bets if your first bet loses.
Want more NHL picks for Thursday? Matt Severance is SportsLine’s No. 1 NHL expert, entering the NHL playoffs on a 120-62 roll on NHL sides picks, returning $2,490 for $100 players. See his best bet for this matchup at SportsLine.
Sebastian Aho 1+ assists (+114)
The Finnish forward registered five assists in four games before being held off the scoresheet in Game 1 in Washington D.C. He also collected three apples in four regular-season games against the Capitals.
FanDuel Sportsbook lists Aho to tally one or more assists in Game 2 at +114 odds. Bet it now and get $200 in Bonus Bets with a winning $5 bet.
