I have goalscorer picks from two NHL playoff games on Wednesday.
The pregame narrative: Wyatt Johnston was the unsung hero for the Dallas Stars in the playoffs last season. I’ll bet on him to find the back of the net in Game 3, while taking a shot on Cole Caufield to do the same.
Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for April 23.
NHL anytime goal picks
Best Bet: Caufield anytime goalscorer (+210)
Caufield led the Montreal Canadiens with a career-high 37 goals this season.
He was one of the Habs’ most important players in Game 1, scoring a goal and playing over 20 minutes. The winger also had five of his team’s 35 shots.
If Game 2 goes anything like that, Caufield will have plenty of chances to score again.
It’s the playoffs, and the Canadiens are a young, top-heavy team. They should continue to rely on their No. 1 line to pick up more shifts.
Washington finished atop the Eastern Conference, but April was a different story.
The Capitals went 4-5 in the final nine games of the regular season, allowing an average of 4.0 goals over that time.
Montreal appeared to be up for the challenge in the opening game, and I think this will be a competitive series.
Key stat: Including Monday, Caufield has scored in all four games vs. the Capitals this season.
NHL prop predictions
Johnston anytime goalscorer (+210): Dallas’ top dogs were pretty quiet in the Stars’ 4-3 overtime win in Game 2.
Johnston did grab an assist, but it’s time for the young gun to light the lamp in this series.
In the final 27 games following the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, Johnston had 17 goals and went 15-12 against this wager.
Dallas had a solid 22-16-3 record at home this season as well, so the Stars should come out firing.
Johnston had 10 goals in 19 games during Dallas’ postseason run in 2024.
NHL anytime goal picks made at 9:27 a.m. ET on 04/23/2025.
Spencer is a true sports junkie. A graduate of the Sports Journalism program at Centennial College, he first joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2023. He is now a contributing writer. He loves finding the edge to bet on in all sports but has a deep passion for the NBA and UFC. Previous stops include Sportsnet.