NHL Tuesday - Sid vs Ovi

Caps vs. Pens highlight Tuesday's betting

NHL betting always seems a bit more intriguing when either Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin takes the ice. Hockey fans get the best of both stars when they face each other in the league's best rivalry Tuesday.

Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins

Two of tahe NHL's finest franchises collide in what could be a playoff preview. Pittsburgh and Washington are trying to gain momentum heading into the postseason and a win Tuesday would be a nice way get the ball rolling. 

The Penguins are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference but can finish as high as second if things go well in their final four games of the season. A victory over the Capitals could help them leap over the Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils and grab home-ice advantage through to the Eastern Conference final. 

Pittsburgh heads into Tuesday with three wins in its last four games, most recently knocking off the Atlanta Thrashers 4-3 in overtime on Saturday. The Penguins had star center Evgeni Malkin back from a foot injury and also returned top defenseman Sergei Gonchar. Both those players found the back of the net against the Thrashers.

The Capitals will be coming off a home game against the Boston Bruins on Monday night. They headed into that contest riding back-to-back wins, snapping a three-game slide last week. Washington's most recent victory before Monday was a 3-2 road win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday in which the Caps did all their damage in the first period, opening the game with three straight goals and holding on for the win as moneyline favorites.

Ovechkin went scoreless in that game and has been without a goal in Washington's last three games. The talented winger has just two goals in his last 10 games and trailed Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby 47-46 in the NHL goal-scoring race entering the week. Ovechkin was also slightly behind the Vancouver Canucks' Henrik Sedin, 106-102, for the NHL points lead heading into Monday's game.

Los Angeles Kings at Anaheim Ducks

These two California rivals are heading in different directions, with the Kings currently resting in seventh place in the Western Conference standings and the Ducks on the outside of the playoff race looking in with 85 points – six back of the eighth and final postseason ticket entering the week.

Anaheim isn't going down without a fight, winning seven of its last 10 games. It recently defeated Los Angeles 2-1 in a shootout in the first of their home-and-home series Saturday. Backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney made 29 saves and was solid in the shootout. He could be between the pipes again Tuesday with starting goalie Jonas Hiller still slowed by back spasms. 

The loss to Anaheim snapped a two-game winning streak for the Kings. Goaltender Jonathan Quick was sharp, stopping 33-of-34 shots but getting beat in the shootout. Quick has helped L.A. play under the NHL betting totals in four straight starts. On the year, the Kings boast a 36-41-1 over/under record.