The Washington Capitals (36-29-10) will battle the Carolina Hurricanes (47-22-7) for the fourth time this season. These Metropolitan Division rivals will clash on Friday, April 5, at 7:00 PM ET at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes are favored with a puck line at -1.5 (-105).

The Capitals have lost their last four games and must carry the right momentum heading into this match. Their most recent defeat was a 4-1 outing against the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

They rank fifth in the Metropolitan Division and are likely on their way out of any playoff hopes. They are 16-7-4 on the road and are led by several players in various categories offensively, with Alex Ovechkin leading with 27 goals.

The Capitals score 2.67 goals and take 26.8 shots a game. Their power plays have been a coin flip, with a percentage of 21.2, 46 goals scored, and 47 allowed.

Their defense has allowed 3.16 goals and 30.7 shots from opponents, which shows they struggle on both ends of the ice. This does not help their situation for this matchup. They also have a weaker penalty kill percentage at 78.8 compared to the Hurricanes' 86.0.

The Hurricanes are 3-2 in their last five games and aim to build momentum. Their most recent battle was a 4-1 defeat against the Boston Bruins, which ended their two-game win streak.

They remain second in the division and must maintain their spot, which should be easy to do here. They are 25-10-4 at home and have Sebastian Aho leading them with 85 points, 33 goals, and 52 assists this season.

The Hurricanes score 3.34 goals on 33.0 attempts at the net each game. Their power plays have been excellent, with 61 goals scored and 34 allowed for a percentage of 26.8.

Their defense is also solid, allowing 2.61 goals on 25.9 shots each game. Compared to their offense, this is a food separation between the averages, which bodes well for their chances of success.

MyBookie showcases the odds for this upcoming showdown, revealing the Carolina Hurricanes as 1.5-puck line favorites. According to their stats, they are most likely to win by two goals rather than the Capitals keeping it within one or even winning.

The Capitals have won two of three matchups, with an average score of 3.66 for the Capitals and 4.33 for the Hurricanes. Two games so far have ended by a deficit of one goal, with the most recent battle being a 7-6 win for the Capitals back in March.