I’ve got two goalscorer bets from Thursday’s NHL slate.
The pregame narrative: Alexander Ovechkin is barrelling toward Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal scoring record and I expect him to get one notch closer tonight. After that, look for Tomas Hertl to provide offence for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for Feb. 27.
NHL anytime goal picks
Best Bet: Ovechkin to score (+110)
What can I say about Ovechkin that hasn’t been said?
The soon-to-be NHL recordholder has been scoring at will in his 20th season and is now 12 markets shy of passing Gretzky, who sits at 894 goals.
- Ovechkin has 30 goals in 42 games this season (0.71 goals per game).
- He missed 12 games with a broken fibula but has scored 15 goals in 24 games since returning on Dec. 28 (0.62 goal per game clip).
- Ovechkin’s 3.79 shots per game ranks fifth in the NHL.
He has turned up the heat lately, scoring eight goals in as many games and clearing this line six times.
Ovechkin ripped home a hat trick on nine shots against the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday and followed that up with a goal on five shots against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.
Washington’s captain is firing on all cylinders and Thursday’s opponent, the St. Louis Blues, are ripe for the taking.
Joel Hofer is in net over Jordan Binnington, and the 24-year-old hasn’t been great this season. He has a 2.88 GAA to pair with a .903 SV% and has allowed 14 goals in his last four starts.
Key stat: Ovechkin scored twice against the Blues on Nov. 9.
Top picks to score
Hertl anytime goalscorer (+180): Bettors should be looking to fade the Chicago Blackhawks any time they take the ice. That’s what I’m doing tonight by backing Hertl to score.
The Blackhawks rank near the bottom of the NHL in almost every defensive category on a 60-minute basis, per Natural Stat Trick:
- 3.44 goals (30th)
- 31.5 shots (30th)
- 63.2 chances (30th)
- 12.8 high-danger chances (30th)
Hertl is playing on Vegas’ top line and power-play unit and has 10 goals in his last 14 games. He’s registered at least three shots in five of his last six games and should have plenty of chances to bury one tonight.
Picks made at 2:46 p.m. ET on 02/27/2025.
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.