Ottawa Senators vs Washington Capitals Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 03/18/26

The Ottawa Senators are travelling to Washington, D.C., to face the Capitals for the third and final time this season. They currently lead the season series 2-0 and are aiming to complete the sweep. The Senators have won four of their last five games and have had no trouble finding the back of the net, scoring seven goals in two of those games. While their goaltending has improved, it remains inconsistent. With a playoff spot still within reach, the Senators cannot afford to drop many games in the coming stretch.

The Capitals are not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, but their path to reaching the postseason looks challenging. They have lost three of their last five games and continue to fall down the standings. While their offense is capable of scoring goals, unfortunately, their power play is struggling to produce. Alex Ovechkin can score from almost anywhere on the ice, but his effectiveness on the power play has diminished. Overall, the Senators are the stronger team, and they will need to take a high volume of shots at Logan Thompson. We’re slightly leaning towards them covering the puck line, though it may require an empty-net goal to achieve that.

Senators vs Capitals prediction: Ottawa -1.5 (+195) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.