Hurricanes vs. Capitals prediction: Why Carolina is favored to win Saturday's NHL matchup [1/31/2026]

NHL action continues on Saturday at 5:00 PM ET as the Carolina Hurricanes square off with the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena.

Based on the latest simulations, Dimers' advanced NHL model predicts the Hurricanes as the most likely winner of the Hurricanes vs. Capitals game.

This article offers further insights into Saturday's matchup, including projected goal scorers, best bets and player prop picks.

Canes vs. Caps prediction: Who will win and cover?

Using innovative machine learning and data, we have simulated the outcome of Saturday's NHL matchup between the Hurricanes and Capitals 10,000 times as part of our NHL predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model currently gives the Hurricanes a 56% chance of defeating the Capitals.

According to our model, the Capitals (+1.5) have a 64% chance of covering the puck line, while the 6-goal over/under has a 55% chance of going over.

Hurricanes vs. Capitals odds

We have researched the best NHL odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

Bet Type	Hurricanes	Capitals
Puck Line	-1.5 (+154)	+1.5 (-175)
Moneyline	-160	+140
Total	o6 (-125)	u6 (+105)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Hurricanes vs. Capitals picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best current odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

Bet Type	Pick	Bet Now
Puck Line	Capitals +1.5	-175
Moneyline	Capitals	+140
Total	Over 6	-125

According to our NHL best bets, the top play to make on this game is Capitals to win.

Hurricanes vs. Capitals player props

Who will score a goal in Hurricanes vs. Capitals?

According to our model, Aliaksei Protas is most likely to score an anytime goal in Hurricanes vs. Capitals.

Our projections give Protas a 29.8% chance of scoring a goal at Capital One Arena, while the star is a 5.7% chance of netting the first goal the game.

Anytime goal scorer predictions

Carolina Hurricanes

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Seth Jarvis	29.8%
Sebastian Aho	28.8%
Nikolaj Ehlers	27.5%
Andrei Svechnikov	26.0%
Jackson Blake	19.7%

Washington Capitals

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Aliaksei Protas	29.8%
Alex Ovechkin	29.8%
Dylan Strome	28.2%
Tom Wilson	24.2%
Ryan Leonard	22.1%

First goal scorer predictions

Carolina Hurricanes

Player	First Goal Probability
Seth Jarvis	6.0%
Sebastian Aho	5.8%
Nikolaj Ehlers	5.6%
Andrei Svechnikov	4.6%
Jackson Blake	3.7%

Washington Capitals

Player	First Goal Probability
Alex Ovechkin	6.1%
Aliaksei Protas	5.7%
Dylan Strome	4.9%
Tom Wilson	4.5%
Ryan Leonard	4.1%

Canes vs. Caps game-day updates and essential details

Saturday's action between the Capitals and Hurricanes at Capital One Arena is scheduled to commence at 5:00 PM ET.

• Who: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals
• Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
• Time: 5:00 PM ET/2:00PM PT
• Venue: Capital One Arena

Conclusion

We predict the Hurricanes, with a 56% win probability, will likely beat the Capitals on Saturday.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Hurricanes vs. Capitals insights, with human oversight ensuring high editorial quality. Our predictions are drawn from up-to-date data to help you make informed decisions. For additional resources and advice on responsible gambling, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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