Tampa Bay Lightning vs Washington Capitals Prediction & Picks - NHL

Prediction published on 10/14/25, 3:39 PM  by Erik Gibbs in NHL Picks

A clash of teams on opposite trajectories is set for Tuesday in the nation's capital, as the surging Washington Capitals host a struggling Tampa Bay Lightning squad. The Capitals are coming in hot, fresh off a perfect two-game swing through New York that saw them bank four valuable points. Washington demonstrated its versatility, grinding out a tough 4-2 victory over the Islanders before putting on a defensive clinic in a 1-0 shutout against the Rangers.

Following an opening-night defeat, the Caps have locked in their defensive game, yielding just a single goal at even strength through their first three contests. Crucially, their penalty-killing unit, a question mark after the first two games, came up big against the Rangers’ formidable power play, signaling a significant turnaround.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning find themselves in an unusual position. The perennial championship contenders have stumbled out of the gate with an 0-2-0 record and are desperate to get into the win column. Offense hasn't been the problem for the Bolts; their potent attack has generated seven goals and their power play is operating at a blistering 33.3% efficiency.

The Achilles' heel has been their play in their own end. Tampa has been surprisingly leaky, giving up ten goals in their first two matchups against Ottawa and New Jersey. Making matters tougher, they arrive in Washington for the second game of a back-to-back, a difficult test of stamina against a rested and confident opponent.