NHL Picks: 3 Anytime Goalscorers Best Bets (Wednesday, March 20)
Zac BonDurant/Getty Images. Pictured: Clayton Keller #9 of the Arizona Coyotes
Check out Tony Sartori's NHL picks tonight for Wednesday, March 20 – his expert anytime goalscorer predictions.
For tonight's three-game NHL slate, which includes games on TNT and ESPN+, I'm targetting three players for my NHL anytime goalscorer picks.
Betting on NHL anytime goalscorers is simple enough: If your player scores a goal at any point in the game, your bet is a winner. MLB has its dingers; the NHL has its anytime goalscorers. And with both types of player props, the bets usually come with plus-money odds attached to them, so they're a favorite among all types of sports bettors.
Check out all of the analysis with my favorite anytime goalscorer predictions for tonight's NHL games below.
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NHL Picks Tonight – Anytime Goalscorers
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NHL betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Anytime Goalscorer |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 p.m. | ||
| 7:30 p.m. | ||
| 8 p.m. | ||
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Maple Leafs vs. Capitals
An Eastern Conference tilt kicks off Wednesday's three-game NHL slate with the Washington Capitals hosting the Toronto Maple Leafs. Oddsmakers are expecting a high-scoring outing, and the total is set between 6 and 6.5 across the board.
One of the variables contributing that total is the fact that Toronto struggles at the blue line. Entering this matchup, the team ranks in the bottom half of the league in goals allowed per game, penalty minutes taken per game and penalty kill percentage.
These rankings are a product of the Maple Leafs' inability to suppress high-danger scoring chances as they rank 22nd in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) at 5-on-5. Not only do they struggle defensively at even-strength, but special teams has also been a problem as the Leafs rank 19th in penalty minutes taken per game and 24th in penalty kill percentage.
That brings us to Washington forward Alex Ovechkin, who leads the team in power-play goals. Nearly 50% of his scoring production this season has come on the man-advantage as Father Time is starting to catch up to the future first-ballot hall-of-famer.
With that said, he is still a massive weapon on special teams. He's coming off a two-goal performance against the Calgary Flames. Both goals came on the power play.
The scoring has picked up for Ovi over the second half of the campaign, and this success could continue against Toronto, a team he has scored 12 goals against over the past 20 meetings.
Pick: Alex Ovechkin (+165 at BetMGM)
Maple Leafs vs. Capitals
I am risking a half-unit on Ovechkin to score along with another half-unit on his teammate T.J. Oshie. My thinking here is that I am fairly confident that at least one of these two guys will find the back of the net, which would guarantee a profit.
And, if both score, then all the better.
Not only is the Leafs' blue line surrendering high-danger scoring chances at a high rate, but goaltender Joseph Woll is slated to guard the cage behind the line on Wednesday. While Woll's surface-level stats are strong this year, I want to continue to sell high on a guy who has not played at the same level since returning from his ankle injury.
Woll has now allowed four goals in back-to-back starts, going 0-2 over that stretch with a fade-worthy .846 SV% and 4.06 GAA. That bodes well for Oshie, who trails only Ovi in terms of power-play goals scored this year for Washington.
At least one of these two guys has scored in each of the Capitals' past three games.
Pick: T.J. Oshie (+290 at DraftKings)
(NHL bettors: North Carolina sports betting apps are live! North Carolina sports betting launched earlier this month. Join in on the action now!)
Coyotes vs. Stars
A Central Division tilt later in the evening features the Dallas Stars hosting the Arizona Coyotes. This game's total is also set at 6.5, and part of that number is due to goaltender Jake Oettinger's recent form. He's slated to start once again for Dallas on Wednesday evening.
Oettinger has now allowed four or more goals in four of his past seven starts. Over that stretch, he possesses a troubling .853 SV% and 3.71 GAA.
Goaltending has been an issue all year for the Stars, and guys like Clayton Keller have capitalized as he scored in his lone appearance against them back in November. In fact, he has scored in two of his past three outings against Dallas, and I expect him to find success once again on Wednesday.
Keller is, by far, Arizona's best forward and leads the team in goals. Impressively, 19 of his 27 goals this season have come at even-strength, which is important against the Stars, who are one of the best teams at preventing power-play goals.
Keller has now scored in back-to-back games and has five goals over his past six outings, so I want to ride the hot hand against a cold goaltender in Oettinger.
Pick: Clayton Keller (+210 at FanDuel)
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