The Washington Capitals (28-23-7) take on the Nashville Predators (26-23-7) at Capital One Arena on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The Capitals were defeated by the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 in their most recent game, while the Predators are coming off a 6-5 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild.
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Prepare for this showdown with a glimpse at who we project to come out on top in Thursday's contest.
The Predators' offense has scored 38 goals during their past 10 games, while their defense has given up 41 goals. They have had 27 power-play opportunities during that span, and have scored 10 goals (37.0%). They are 4-3-3 over those games.
Capitals vs. Predators Predictions for Thursday
Our computer projection model for this game expects a final tally of Capitals 4, Predators 2.
- Moneyline Pick: Capitals (-163)
- Total Pick: Under 6.5 (computer predicts 6.1 goals on average)
- Spread Pick: Capitals (-1.5)
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Capitals Splits and Trends
- The Capitals are 28-23-7 overall and 5-7-12 in overtime matchups.
- Washington is 7-7-2 (16 points) in its 16 games decided by one goal.
- In the seven games this season the Capitals scored just one goal, they've finished 1-6-0 (two points).
- Washington has scored a pair of goals in 13 games this season (2-7-4 record, eight points).
- The Capitals are 25-8-3 in the 36 games when they have scored three or more goals (to register 53 points).
- In the 19 games when Washington has recorded a single power-play goal, it picked up 21 points after finishing 10-8-1.
- In the 28 games when it outshot its opponent, Washington is 15-10-3 (33 points).
- The Capitals have been outshot by opponents in 25 games, going 11-11-3 to register 25 points.
Predators Splits and Trends
- The Predators (26-23-7 overall) have posted a record of 7-7-14 in games that have gone to OT this season.
- Nashville has earned 33 points (13-3-7) in its 23 games decided by one goal.
- This season the Predators registered only one goal in six games and they've earned two points (1-5-0) in those contests.
- Nashville has 15 points (5-9-5) when scoring a pair of goals this season.
- The Predators have scored at least three goals 28 times, earning 42 points from those matchups (20-6-2).
- Nashville has scored a single power-play goal in 23 games this season and has recorded 24 points from those matchups.
- When outshooting its opponent this season, Nashville is 9-10-2 (20 points).
- The Predators have been outshot by opponents in 33 games, going 15-13-5 to register 35 points.
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Team Stats Comparison
| Capitals Rank | Capitals AVG | Predators AVG | Predators Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16th | 3.17 | Goals Scored | 2.93 | 21st |
| 11th | 2.93 | Goals Allowed | 3.46 | 28th |
| 7th | 29 | Shots | 28.5 | 13th |
| 19th | 28.3 | Shots Allowed | 29.3 | 24th |
| 29th | 15.79% | Power Play % | 22.29% | 12th |
| 20th | 78.49% | Penalty Kill % | 80.49% | 12th |
Capitals vs. Predators Game Time and TV Channel
- When: Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 7 p.m. ET
- TV Channel: ESPN+
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
- Where: Capital One Arena in Washington D.C.
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