Sometimes you just need to play the hits. My favourite NHL goalscorer picks from Friday are none other than Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.
The pregame narrative: The Edmonton Oilers have an outside chance at capturing home ice in the opening round and have a comfy matchup against the San Jose Sharks tonight. Elsewhere, the Pittsburgh Penguins battle the New Jersey Devils.
Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for April 11.
NHL anytime goal picks
Best Bet: McDavid to score a goal (+105)
McDavid didn’t miss a beat when he returned from an eight-game injury absence on Wednesday.
Edmonton’s captain had three assists in 20:35 of ice time in a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues. He didn’t take a single shot, but I’m not worried about that becoming the norm, especially with Leon Draisaitl sidelined.
Draisaitl, who has a league-best 52 goals, is dealing with an undisclosed ailment and will not play on Friday.
The Oilers will certainly miss his goal-scoring touch come the playoffs but should do just fine in his absence tonight.
Check out how San Jose ranks defensively on a 60-minute basis, according to Natural Stat Trick:
- 32nd in goals (3.76)
- 31st in shots (31.4)
- 31st in chances (65.88)
Key stat: McDavid has nine goals in his last 15 games against the Sharks.
Quick pick
Crosby to score a goal (+170): It’s been all about Alex Ovechkin this season — and deservedly so — but we shouldn’t discount what Crosby has done on a much worse team.
He has 31 goals and 87 points while playing alongside Bryan Rust and Ville Koivunen on a 32-win team. That’s not a great sell for Crosby’s chances of scoring, but the point is he keeps doing it at the age of 37.
Tonight, the Pens go up against a Devils team locked into its playoff matchup with the Carolina Hurricanes.
New Jersey is starting backup goaltender Jake Allen, who has given up seven goals across his last two starts.
NHL anytime goal picks made at 2:07 p.m. ET on 03/24/2025.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.