The Washington Capitals (24-19-6) face the Colorado Avalanche (33-5-8) in a cross-conference matchup between a middling Eastern team and the NHL’s top squad. The Capitals, sitting sixth in the Metropolitan Division, have been inconsistent but rank among the league’s best in power-play efficiency (26.8%). The Avalanche, leading the Central Division and the league in points, boast the NHL’s best home record (19-0-2 at Ball Arena) and a potent offense led by Nathan MacKinnon’s MVP-caliber play. Injuries could factor in, with Colorado missing key defensemen and Washington without Pierre-Luc Dubois. Expect a defensive-minded game at Ball Arena, where the Avalanche’s depth and home dominance give them the edge in a projected 4-2 win.
Venue Location
Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado. This 18,000-seat venue, home to the Avalanche since 1999, is known for its high-altitude advantage and raucous crowds, contributing to Colorado’s undefeated home streak this season (19-0-2).
Puckdrop is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. MT, 1:00 p.m. PT). The game will be broadcast on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max nationally, with local radio on Altitude Sports Radio 92.5 FM (Avalanche) and WFED 1500 AM (Capitals).
Recent Team Forms
The Capitals have been middling, going 4-5-1 in their last 10 with a +2 goal differential, alternating wins and losses. The Avalanche are surging, 7-2-1 in their last 10 with a +30 goal differential, including a 17-game home win streak.
Here’s a breakdown of each team’s last 10 games:
| Date | Opponent | Result (Capitals) | Score |
| Dec 31 | vs. NYR | W | 6-3 |
| Jan 1 | @ OTT | L | 3-4 |
| Jan 3 | vs. CHI | L (SO) | 2-3 |
| Jan 5 | vs. ANA | W | 7-4 |
| Jan 7 | vs. DAL | L | 1-4 |
| Jan 9 | @ CHI | W | 5-1 |
| Jan 11 | @ NSH | L | 3-2 |
| Jan 13 | vs. MTL | W (OT) | 3-2 |
| Jan 15 | @ SJ | L | 3-2 |
| Jan 17 | vs. FLA | L | 2-5 |
Overall: 4-5-1 in last 10 (+2 goal differential).
| Date | Opponent | Result (Avalanche) | Score |
| Dec 26 | @ VGK | W (OT) | 3-2 |
| Dec 28 | vs. ARI | W | 5-1 |
| Dec 30 | vs. STL | W | 4-3 |
| Jan 3 | @ CAR | W | 5-3 |
| Jan 4 | @ FLA | L | 1-2 |
| Jan 6 | @ TBL | L | 2-4 |
| Jan 8 | vs. OTT | W | 8-2 |
| Jan 10 | vs. CBJ | W | 4-0 |
| Jan 12 | vs. TOR | L | 3-4 |
| Jan 16 | vs. NSH | L | 3-7 |
Overall: 6-4-0 in last 10 (+20 goal differential).
Injury Report
Washington Capitals:
Pierre-Luc Dubois (C): Out (Lower Body/Abdomen) – Expected return mid-February.
Tom Wilson (RW): Out (Lower Body) – IR, no timeline.
Colorado Avalanche:
Logan O’Connor (RW): Out (Hip) – Out indefinitely.
Gabriel Landeskog (LW): Out (Upper Body) – Out indefinitely.
Devon Toews (D): Out (Upper Body) – Out indefinitely.
Joel Kiviranta (LW): Out (Lower Body) – Out indefinitely.
Key Player Matchups
Injuries thin Colorado’s blue line, potentially exposing them to Washington’s snipers.
Alex Ovechkin (WSH LW) vs. Cale Makar (COL D): Ovechkin (league-leading 32 goals) chases Gretzky; Makar (offensive D, 45 points) must contain him.
Tom Wilson (WSH RW) vs. Nathan MacKinnon (COL C): Wilson (out, lower body) sidelines physicality; MacKinnon (MVP frontrunner, 68 points) drives Colorado’s offense.
John Carlson (WSH D) vs. Mikko Rantanen (COL RW): Carlson (top D scorer, 40 points) anchors blue line; Rantanen (30 goals) exploits gaps.
Charlie Lindgren (WSH G) vs. Alexandar Georgiev (COL G): Lindgren (2.85 GAA) vs. Georgiev (2.45 GAA, strong home).
Other keys: Washington’s power play (top-10) vs. Colorado’s penalty kill (top-5). Avalanche’s possession vs. Capitals’ counterattacks.
Series History
The Capitals lead the all-time series 48-38-9 (95 games). Colorado has a 6-4-0 record in the last 10 meetings. Recent games: Colorado W 2-1 (11/22/2024), Washington W 5-2 (11/16/2024), Colorado W 6-3 (2/14/2024). At home, Colorado is 20-23-5 vs. Washington. Unders have hit in 5 of the last 7 games.
Betting Trends
Puck Line: Avalanche 6-4 ATS in last 10; Capitals 5-5 ATS as underdogs.
Over/Under: Set at 6.5 (-105 to -115 both sides). Under is 5-1 in Capitals’ last 6; over is 4-1 in Avalanche’s last 5 home.
Other Trends: Avalanche 17-0 SU in last 17 home; Capitals 3-7 SU in last 10 road. Colorado 14-2 SU as -200 favorites; series unders in 5/7.
Game Odds
Washington Capitals 6.5
Colorado Avalanche – 218
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, January 18, 2026
