This is a 5* BIG-CHALK CHOKE-OUT on the Washington Capitals.

REASONING: We've always been a fan of the phrase: "sometimes a favorite is a favorite for a reason." No need to overanlyze this one in our opinion, as we're expecting the red hot Capitals to come in focused on the task at hand and take advantage of this favorable matchup. Carolina is poised for a letdown here after a 5-4 road win over the Isles. In fact, after three straight wins, no one would fault the Hurricanes if they simply went through the motions tonight. Washington continues to roll along, it's coming off a 5-0 home win over LA. Note that Carolina averages 2.67 GPG, while allowing 2.78. The Capitals average 3.28 GPG and allow 2.08, No. 1 in the league. Note that the Hurricanes are just 30-61 in their last 91 against teams with a winning record, while the Capitals are 23-9 in their last 32 in the third game of a 3-in-4 scenario. WASHINGTON has been on a tear of late, averaging a whopping 4.42 GPG over its last 19. Lay the price with confidence.

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