Trent Reinsmith
- What: 2023 NHL Stadium Series
- Who: Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes
- Date: Saturday, February 18, 2023
- Location: Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, NC
- Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ABC, ESPN+, SN360, TVAS2
The 2023 NHL Stadium Series game takes place Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina, the home of the NC State Wolfpack football team. On February 18, the sold-out stadium plays host to the Carolina Hurricanes and the Washington Capitals, who both compete in the NHL’s Eastern Conference.
As of this writing, the Hurricanes sit in first place in the Metropolitan Division. The ‘Canes have a 35-10-8 record (78 points), which puts them in second place in the East behind the Boston Bruins. As for the Capitals, they are in fifth place in the division at 28-22-6 (62 points). Carolina has a 17-6-2 home record, while Washington is 14-12-3 when they place away from their home arena.
Before we look at the betting breakdown for Saturday’s 2023 NHL Stadium Series matchup between the Washington Capitals and the Carolina Hurricanes, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 Stanley Cup and our tips for betting on the NHL.
2023 Stadium Series picks: Washington Capitals vs. Carolina Hurricanes
| To Win 2023 Stadium Series |  |  |  |  |  |
| Washington Capitals | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Carolina Huricanes | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Washington Capitals breakdown
There was some sad news on the Capitals beat this week, as Alex Ovechkin’s father, Mikhail, died in Russia at the age of 71. With his father’s passing, Ovechkin headed home to be with his family. The Capitals do not know when Ovechkin will return to the club, but on Tuesday, head coach Peter Laviolette said he didn’t see Ovechkin back on the bench for “the foreseeable future.”
Ovechkin leads the Capitals in points (54) and goals (32). The Capitals’ captain is also tops in ice time among Washington forwards at 20:28 per game. The team is going to miss Ovechkin in a big way. Without him, the team’s second-highest goal total belongs to Marcus Johansson with 13. That’s a huge drop-off. On Tuesday, the Ovechkin-less Capitals lost to the Hurricanes 3-2 in Washington.
Carolina Hurricanes breakdown
The Hurricanes have been fantastic since the middle of January. The team ended a four-game losing skid on January 10. Since then, Carolina has a record of 10-2. Martin Necas leads the Hurricanes in scoring with 47 points. Sebastian Aho is the team leader in goals (23), while Brent Burns leads the club in assists with 27. Carolina has eight players who have scored 10 or more goals this season.
Carolina has a good goaltending tandem in Antti Raanta and Frederick Andersen.
The Hurricanes are 2-0 against the Capitals this season, beating them 3-2 in a shootout at home in October and then topping them 3-2 in regulation earlier this week in Washington.
Best bet to win the 2023 NHL Stadium Series game
The Capitals are going to miss Alexander Ovechkin in a big way. Further, the team has a long list of other players who are on the injury list. Even with a stacked roster, the Capitals would struggle against the Hurricanes. With the team having a depleted bench and a lack of secondary scoring, the best bet for the 2023 NHL Stadium Series game is for the Carolina Hurricanes to beat the Washington Capitals.
Pick: Carolina Hurricanes to beat the Washington Capitals in the 2023 NHL Stadium Series game.
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