Los Angeles Kings vs Washington Capitals Picks and Predictions for Tuesday October 20 2026
Six games. No wins. That’s where Los Angeles finds itself heading into Washington on Tuesday. The Kings have already lost four in regulation and two more after regulation, and the goals are going into their net in a hurry. Washington has been up and down, but the Capitals don’t need to be world-beaters to take advantage of this mess.
Los Angeles visits Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, October 20, at 7:00 PM ET. Washington is around -157 on one betting board, with the Kings at +133. The total is generally around 6.5. Check out our free NHL picks for more predictions.
The Kings Can’t Keep Giving Up Four Goals
Los Angeles is 0-4-2. The Kings lost to Boston in their latest game and have already dropped contests against Edmonton, Vegas, Florida, San Jose, and Colorado. It’s not as though they’ve played an easy schedule, but six games without a win is six games without a win. Eventually somebody has to make a save, finish a scoring chance, or do something to stop the losing.
The Kings are scoring just 2.00 goals per game and allowing 4.17. That’s an awful gap. Their power play is at 14.3%, and the penalty kill has been even worse at 61.9%. That last number is a real problem. Every penalty feels dangerous when you’re killing barely six out of ten chances. Los Angeles has been decent on faceoffs at 52.8%, but winning the draw doesn’t mean much if the puck ends up in your net anyway.
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The goaltending has been a big part of the trouble. The team save percentage is around .845, and the primary starter has a goals-against average above 4.50. The Kings’ leading point producer has five through six games, which tells you the offense hasn’t exactly been carrying the load, either. There isn’t one quick fix here. Los Angeles needs better defense, better saves, and somebody to score when it matters.
Washington Has A Chance To Keep Rolling
Washington is 5-3-0 and has won its last two games, beating Montreal and New Jersey. The Capitals haven’t been perfect, but they’ve been much more reliable than Los Angeles. They’ve also been scoring enough to make opponents pay for mistakes. Against this Kings penalty kill, that’s something Washington ought to be looking forward to.
The Capitals are averaging 3.50 goals and allowing 3.00 per game. Their power play has converted 19% of its chances, while the penalty kill is at 82.1%. None of those numbers is outrageous, but they’re a lot healthier than what Los Angeles has produced. Washington also wins a little over half its faceoffs. The Capitals don’t need to dominate possession to win this one. They need to stay patient and wait for the Kings to make the mistakes they’ve been making all month.
Washington’s top scorers have been productive early, and its leading goaltending option has a .910 save percentage with a goals-against average of 2.69. That’s a considerable edge over what Los Angeles has gotten. The Capitals still have to avoid treating a winless team like an automatic two points. That’s how clubs get embarrassed. But if Washington plays anything close to its normal game, the Kings will have trouble keeping up.
Los Angeles Kings vs Washington Capitals Picks and Predictions
Washington Capitals Moneyline (-157)
I’m taking Washington at -157. Los Angeles is 0-4-2, scores two goals a game, and allows more than four. The penalty kill is at 61.9%. Pick whichever number you hate most. They’re all bad. Washington has been getting decent goaltending and enough scoring to win games. The Kings will eventually break through, and that’s always the danger when betting against a winless club. I don’t think Tuesday is the night.
Over 6.5 Goals
I’ll take over 6.5. The Kings are giving up 4.17 goals per game, and Washington is scoring 3.50. That’s the starting point. Los Angeles doesn’t have to contribute much for this to get close to seven. The Capitals could score four themselves. The risk is the Kings’ offense disappearing again and the game ending 4-1. But with Los Angeles struggling to kill penalties and stop shots, I like the chances of a few goals coming in bunches.
Final Picks: Washington Capitals Moneyline (-157) and Over 6.5 Goals
This preview was completed October 19, 2026. Betting lines, injuries, starting goaltenders, and records may change before Tuesday’s game.
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