Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes Picks and Prediction for Tuesday October 13, 2026
The Washington Capitals will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina, Tuesday night for an Eastern Conference matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. The game is scheduled to begin at 6:45 PM, with coverage available on ESPN. Washington will look to get things moving in the right direction following a difficult performance in its previous outing, currently 3-2-0 on the year following the loss to Seattle. The Hurricanes return home looking to continue building momentum early in the season as they are 5-1-1 on the year riding a lengthy winning streak into Tuesday. Carolina comes into Tuesday as a -142 favorite. Washington is a +136 underdog with the total set at 6.5. For more NHL predictions, see our NHL Picks.
Washington looks to get back on track
The Washington Capitals come into Tuesday night averaging 3.40 goals on 27.6 shots per game. Defensively, Washington is having issues giving up 2.80 goals on 28.4 shots, and they have allowed eight total goals across their last two losses. Tom Wilson leads the Washington offense this season with five points through five games played. Dylan Strome is second on the roster with four points scored, and he leads Washington with four assists. Ryan Leonard and Pierre-Luc Dubois are also tied for second on the Washington roster with four points each.
Logan Thompson struggled immensely in the net for Washington in their last outing, giving up five goals on 27 shots to post an .815 save percentage in the game. Boone Jenner, Jordan Kyrou, and Alex Ovechkin led the scoring for Washington last time out with one goal apiece. Washington did get a balanced attack as four other players chipped in with one assist apiece.
Key Injury Report for Washington:
- Pierre-Luc Dubois (Out) - Oct 14
- Rasmus Sandin (IR-LT) - Dec 26
- Matt Roy (IR) -Oct 17
- Patrick Thomas (IR-NR) - Oct 24
Carolina tries to keep it rolling
The Carolina Hurricanes offense has carried them this season, averaging 3.86 goals on 31.9 shots. Defensively, Carolina has been just as strong, holding opponents to 2.43 goals on just over 21 shots per game. Sebastian Aho is leading the Carolina offense this season with 11 points and six goals. Andrei Svechnikov is 2nd on the roster with eight points this season. Jackson Blake is third on the team with 7 points, and he leads Carolina with six assists this season.
Pyotr Kochetkov carried Carolina in their last outing, posting a .947 save percentage after giving up just one goal on 19 shots across 60 minutes. Sebastian Aho and Andrei Scevhnikov were the biggest offensive weapons for Carolina in their last outing, with one goal and one assist in just under 18.5 minutes. Mark Jankowski and Shayne Gostisbehere chipped in with one goal apiece.
Key Injury Report for Carolina:
- Jordan Staal (Day-To-Day) - Oct 13
- Alexander Nikishin (Out) - Nov 1
- Seth Jarvis (IR-NR) - Oct 24
Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes Picks and Prediction
Pick: Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina is in line to get another win Tuesday night against a Washington team that could have difficulty keeping pace with the Hurricanes. Carolina has plenty of offensive talent and should be able to create consistent scoring opportunities against the Capitals. Washington has enough playmakers to make things interesting but will need to remain disciplined defensively to avoid falling behind early. The Hurricanes have been effective at controlling possession and should be able to keep pressure on Washington throughout the game. Carolina also has the advantage of playing in front of its home crowd and should be able to use that energy to establish momentum. Take the Hurricanes to get the job done at home.
Pick: Over 6.5
Washington and Carolina should provide enough offensive opportunities to push this matchup over the total Tuesday night. The Hurricanes have a talented offensive group capable of generating consistent scoring chances, while Washington has enough firepower to contribute multiple goals of its own. Carolina will look to establish pressure early and force the Capitals into difficult defensive situations. Washington should be able to respond offensively, especially if the Hurricanes become too aggressive pushing the puck forward. Both teams have dangerous offensive weapons capable of changing the game with a single scoring opportunity. Special teams could also play an important role in determining the outcome. Expect both offenses to generate quality chances throughout the night and push the combined score over the number.