The Washington Capitals (21-14-5, seventh in the Eastern Conference) visit the Ottawa Senators (18-15-5, 15th) in conference action on Thursday at 1 p.m. ET.
Ottawa fell 4-1 at home its last time out on Dec. 29 against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Washington won its most recent game 6-3 at home over the New York Rangers on Dec. 31.
Prepare for this matchup with everything you need to know before Thursday’s hockey action.
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Ottawa Senators vs. Washington Capitals odds and betting lines
NHL odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Thursday at 1:51 a.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
Favorite: Senators (-143)Underdog: Capitals (+120)Over/under: 5.5Senators vs. Capitals game info and start timeDate: Thursday, January 1, 2026Time: 1 p.m. ETTV channel: ESPN+Live stream: Watch on ESPN+
Watch Senators vs. Capitals on ESPN+!
Senators stats and trendsOttawa has been victorious in 13 of the 27 games it’s played as the moneyline favorite this season.In 13 games with lower than -143 moneyline odds this season, the Senators have won eight.Ottawa has a 58.8% chance of winning this game, looking at the moneyline odds.Ottawa has combined with its opponent to put up more than 5.5 goals in 22 of 38 games this season.Over the past 10 contests, the Senators have claimed 70.0% of the possible points with a 5-4-1 record.They have averaged 3.8 goals per game (38 total) over that span.On the defensive side, the Senators have allowed 31 goals (3.1 per game) over those 10 outings.Capitals stats and trendsThe Capitals have been the underdog 12 times this season, and upset their opponent in four, or 33.3%, of those games.Washington’s moneyline odds have been +120 or longer two times this season, and it split 1-1.The Capitals have a 45.5% chance to win this game (implied from the moneyline).Washington has combined with its opponent to score over 5.5 goals in 23 of 40 games this season.Over the last 10 contests, the Capitals have earned 55.0% of the possible points with a 3-5-2 record.They have scored 27 goals over that stretch.Over on the defensive side, the Capitals have allowed 35 goals (3.5 per game) over those 10 outings.