Tip: The Calgary Flames are coming to visit the capital!

Both the Capitals and Flames found themselves defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the last round. For the Capitals, it was the opening game, and Ovechkin & Co. ended up scoreless, being defeated 4-0. As for the Flames, they suffered a 5-2 loss after a significant collapse in the final period, which they had entered with a 1-0 lead.

Markstrom, Markstrom, Markstrom!

Calgary has kicked off the season with mixed reviews, in my opinion. In the match against the Winnipeg Jets, they were outplayed for major parts of the game but were saved by Jacob Markstrom, who is looking more and more like he did a couple of seasons ago when he was one of the league's top goalkeepers. Against the Penguins, he let four pucks past him, but there wasn’t much he could do as the Flames' defense was not engaged in the opening minutes of the third period. He was forced into a couple of sweaty saves and, all things considered, is seen to have started the season strong.

Aside from the final score and a few minutes of the third period, Calgary did a lot right in the game against the Penguins. They lack that absolute pressure that the very best teams can establish in the offensive zone, but they have a gritty team that is tough to face and a goalkeeper who "bails them out" when needed. If they can grind as they did for most of the game against the Penguins, the Capitals are in for a tough time.

The Capitals did not impress in the opener

Washington did not impress in the opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins. They struggled to create dangerous scoring opportunities, and with only 19 shots on goal, they never really felt threatening. As I have touched upon in my guides before the season, the Capitals seem aged and are in the last turn with the generation the team has relied on for so many years. I won’t completely write them off based on just a premiere match, but the team has largely passed its best before date.

The Penguins did well to capitalize on individual mistakes and the powerplay opportunities that arose. Somewhat unexpectedly, Charlie Lindgren was thrown into the goal at short notice. He did okay and can hardly be blamed for the loss. However, it looks like Darcy Kuemper will be back for the game against the Calgary Flames after missing the opener due to becoming a parent. It’s a welcome addition for the Capitals to get back their first-choice goalkeeper, who at his best is a really good goalie.

Conclusion and prediction

I have two betting ideas that I will be sharing for the match. Assuming both Markstrom and Kuemper are guarding the net (which I believe), I like the idea of betting on a low-scoring game. This is partly because they are two good goalkeepers, but primarily considering how the beginning of the season has looked. Calgary isn’t the sharpest team but relies more on structured play with a defensive character that wears down the opponent. The Capitals started by not scoring in the opener; we shouldn’t place too much importance on that, but it still indicates that they are no longer the sharp team we once knew them as. Backstrom and Ovechkin haven’t gotten any younger, and the overall production of the Capitals is trending downwards.

As I have written on several occasions, I believe there is somewhat of an undervaluation of the Calgary Flames. This is partly due to the failed season last year and also because the team build doesn’t exactly scream entertainment, but they are a good hockey team with a solid chance of securing a playoff spot. In summary, I am landing on two bets for the match.

My two betting tips are:
Calgary Flames to win the match in regulation time at +150 with bet365.
Under 6.5 goals (inc OT) at -115 with BetMGM.