The Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals bring their high-powered offense to San Jose, where they'll face a Sharks team that's had a season to forget at the SAP Center.
While Washington's dynamic duo of Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois has been lighting up scoreboards with a combined 65 goals this season, the Sharks have struggled to find their footing, managing just three wins in their last ten games and posting the Western Conference's worst record.
The contrast couldn't be starker as the red-hot Capitals (43-15-8) square off against the ice-cold Sharks (18-40-9) in what's shaping up to be a classic clash between a powerhouse and an underdog.
San Jose Sharks vs. Washington Capitals prediction: who will win?
For tonight's San Jose Sharks vs Washington Capitals matchup, our predictive model gives the Caps an 85% chance of defeating the Sharks.
Washington Capitals: 85% win probability
- League-leading performance (43 wins in 66 games, 94 points)
- Superior offensive output (239 goals scored, ranking 1st in Eastern Conference)
- Strong defensive record (174 goals against, among top 3 in conference)
San Jose Sharks: 15% win probability
- Bottom league position (16th in Western Conference, only 45 points)
- Poor defensive record (250 goals against, worst in Western Conference)
- Inconsistent scoring (177 goals scored, third-lowest in conference)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts.
San Jose Sharks vs. Washington Capitals odds
Here are the latest odds for this NHL matchup as the San Jose Sharks host the Washington Capitals at home on Saturday, March 15.
| San Jose Sharks | Washington Capitals | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | +225 (via BetMGM Sportsbook) | -270 (via bet365 US) |
San Jose Sharks vs. Washington Capitals preview
The red-hot Washington Capitals roll into SAP Center looking to extend their dominance against a struggling Sharks team that's hit rock bottom this season.
The Caps' offense has been nothing short of electric, with Dylan Strome and Pierre-Luc Dubois lighting up scoreboards while the ageless Alexander Ovechkin keeps finding the back of the net.
San Jose's young guns Macklin Celebrini and William Eklund have shown flashes of brilliance, but they're swimming upstream against a tide of defensive woes that's seen them leak goals at an alarming rate.
Washington's blue line duo of John Carlson and Jakob Chychrun has been rock-solid, while netminder Logan Thompson's stellar .916 save percentage makes scoring against the Caps feel like pulling teeth.
The Sharks' defensive struggles have been particularly painful to watch, with Alexandar Georgiev posting a concerning -15.4 goals saved below average - a stat that's got to keep San Jose fans up at night.
This David-versus-Goliath matchup at the Tank pits the Metropolitan Division's best against the Western Conference's cellar dwellers, with the Caps looking to add to their impressive 43-win tally.
Keep an eye on the Capitals' power play unit, which has been clicking at an impressive 23.33% success rate and could feast against the Sharks' penalty kill that's been more like a penalty give.
The SAP Center crowd might be in for a long night as these teams heading in opposite directions face off in what's shaping up to be a serious mismatch on paper.
Key stats
- 1Washington Capitals lead Eastern Conference with 94 points while Sharks sit last in Western with 45 points - largest points gap (49) between any two teams meeting this season
- 2Sharks have lost 40 games this season and hold NHL's worst goal difference (-73), compared to Capitals' +65 differential
- 3Capitals enter on hot streak with LWWWW recent form, winning 4 of last 5 games, while Sharks show inconsistent WLLLW pattern
- 4San Jose's home record of 18 wins in 67 games (26.9% win rate) faces Washington's 43 wins in 66 games (65.2% win rate)
San Jose Sharks vs. Washington Capitals form
San Jose Sharks vs. Washington Capitals head to head
San Jose Sharks
67%
Washington Capitals
33%
Dec 4, 2024
Washington Capitals
1 : 2
San Jose Sharks
Nov 28, 2023
San Jose Sharks
2 : 1
Washington Capitals
Oct 29, 2023
Washington Capitals
3 : 1
San Jose Sharks
Mar 4, 2023
San Jose Sharks
3 : 8
Washington Capitals
Feb 12, 2023
Washington Capitals
1 : 4
San Jose Sharks
Jan 27, 2022
Washington Capitals
1 : 4
San Jose Sharks
