Sharks vs. Capitals prediction: Why Washington is favored to win Thursday's NHL matchup [1/15/2026]

The Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks are scheduled to meet in the NHL at Capital One Arena on Thursday, with puck drop at 7:00 PM ET.

Based on the latest simulation results, Dimers' proven NHL model predicts the Capitals as the most likely winner of the Sharks vs. Capitals game.

This article offers a closer look at Thursday's matchup, including projected goal scorers, best bets and player prop picks.

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

Using trusted machine learning and statistical analysis, we have simulated the result of Thursday's NHL matchup between the Sharks and Capitals 10,000 times as part of our NHL predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model gives the Capitals a 62% chance of beating the Sharks.

According to our model, the Sharks (+1.5) have a 60% chance of covering the puck line, while the over/under total of 6.5 goals has a 51% chance of staying under.

Sharks vs. Capitals odds

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

Bet Type	Sharks	Capitals
Puck Line	+1.5 (-160)	-1.5 (+142)
Moneyline	+146	-175
Total	o6.5 (-110)	u6.5 (+100)

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

Sharks vs. Capitals picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best available 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	Sharks +1.5	-160
Moneyline	Capitals	-175
Total	Under 6.5	+100

According to our NHL best bets, the top play to make on this game is Under 6.5 total goals.

Sharks vs. Capitals player props

Who will score a goal in Sharks vs. Capitals?

According to our model, Alex Ovechkin is most likely to score an anytime goal in Sharks vs. Capitals.

Our projections give Ovechkin a 41.7% chance of scoring a goal at Capital One Arena, while the star is an 8.6% chance of netting the first goal the game.

Anytime goal scorer predictions

San Jose Sharks

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Macklin Celebrini	37.4%
Pavol Regenda	31.5%
Tyler Toffoli	25.3%
William Eklund	21.2%
Collin Graf	18.3%

Washington Capitals

Player	Anytime Goal Probability
Alex Ovechkin	41.7%
Aliaksei Protas	37.8%
Ethen Frank	31.6%
Dylan Strome	30.9%
Connor McMichael	29.8%

First goal scorer predictions

San Jose Sharks

Player	First Goal Probability
Macklin Celebrini	6.9%
Pavol Regenda	6.0%
Tyler Toffoli	4.4%
William Eklund	3.5%
Collin Graf	3.2%

Washington Capitals

Player	First Goal Probability
Alex Ovechkin	8.6%
Aliaksei Protas	7.5%
Ethen Frank	6.2%
Dylan Strome	5.7%
Connor McMichael	5.3%

Sharks vs. Caps game-day updates and essential details

Thursday's action between the Capitals and Sharks at Capital One Arena is scheduled to commence at 7:00 PM ET.

• Who: San Jose Sharks vs. Washington Capitals
• Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
• Time: 7:00 PM ET/4:00PM PT
• Venue: Capital One Arena

Conclusion

We predict the Capitals, with a 62% win probability, will likely beat the Sharks on Thursday.

AI and automation have enhanced this article to quickly deliver accurate Sharks 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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