Washington Capitals versus New York Rangers Pick Prediction NHL Playoff Game 1 Lines Odds Preview 5-2-2013

The 26-18-0-4 New York Rangers will hit the highway in Game 1 of their best of seven NHL Playoff series with the 27-18-3-0 Washington Capitals in a pro hockey contest on Thursday night. Face off time from Washington is set for 7:30PM Eastern Time with national television coverage provided by NBC Sports Network.

The NHL playoff odds from game one has the home team Washington Capitals favored by -125 odds with the return on the New York Rangers at +115 odds. The goal total is lined at 5 goals.

The teams met three times with the New York Rangers winning two of the three games. The Capitals win came on the road in a shootout. New York has a 2-1 win at home and defeated the Capitals 4-1 on the road.

New York Rangers are 10-12-0-2 playing on the road on the year. They enter the Stanley Cup Playoffs as a sixth seed in the Eastern conference. New York finished the season strongly by winning five of their past six games. New York defended their goal well this season by giving up 2.2 goals per game ranking fourth in the NHL.

Washington went 15-8-1-0 on home ice on the season. The Capitals with 57 points are slotted in the third seed as champions of the Southeast division. Washington finished the regular season strongly with 11 wins in their final 13 games with one loss coming in overtime. The Capitals are fifth in the league in goals per game and the best power play team in the NHL. The team puts up 3 goals as game and converts on 26.8% of the time on the man advantage.