NHL Friday betting preview: Rooting for goals to kick-start the weekend

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Luck really wasn't with us Thursday as we fell on the wrong side of a come-from-behind shootout victory and a goal short of nailing an over, finishing 1-2 on the night.

These things happen, but that New Jersey Devils game is going to haunt me for a while.

Let's get it back Friday.

GOATs and scapegoat

Brendan Gallagher put on a show in his return to the ice for the Montreal Canadiens after missing 10 of the last 11 contests. He scored the game-winning goal and also registered an assist as the Canadiens marched into Buffalo and claimed two points from the reeling Sabres.

We needed that from the Habs, because the Devils absolutely broke our spirit. They held three separate leads over the Nashville Predators - including two in the third period - but Mackenzie Blackwood was the victim of his miserable defense and allowed five goals on 25 shots. I'm never betting New Jersey again. That was torture.

Friday bets

Carolina Hurricanes (-140)

Laying this sort of juice isn't something I typically like to do but there are times when the occasion calls for it. The Vegas Golden Knights have generally been pretty poor on the road. They've lost four of five, 12 of 18, and are 3-7 away to Eastern Conference teams, beating only the Devils, New York Rangers, and Ottawa Senators.

This is the first game of a back-to-back for the Knights, with Peter DeBoer confirming Malcolm Subban will get the start against the Hurricanes, who are 7-2 at home to Western Conference teams this season and have won five of their last six in Raleigh. The Canes have allowed just four goals in their last five home games and are playing some excellent hockey at the moment.

Boston Bruins/Winnipeg Jets over 6 (-110)

Give me the Bruins' team total over 3.5 (-110) and the Jets' team total over 2.5 (-120), as well. Winnipeg is on a 6-0-1 run to the over against Eastern Conference teams and has allowed 25 goals in its last four contests.

Boston has played to three straight overs against Western Conference teams and its last four games in Winnipeg have averaged 7.3 goals. All signs point to fireworks.

Best bet

Philadelphia Flyers/Pittsburgh Penguins over 6 (-110)

This will be the first action for both the Flyers and Penguins since they met in Philadelphia just before the All-Star Break, with the latter losing that one 3-0. Brian Elliott put on an unlikely performance in that game, but I expect a much different result this time around. Elliott allowed 32 goals and was pulled four times over his previous eight games against the Penguins before that shutout.

Pittsburgh has had 10 days to stew over that result and should put in a much-improved offensive effort on home ice. The over has hit in eight of the Flyers' last nine road games for an average of 7.8 goals per contest. The Penguins are on a 5-2 run to the over on home ice.

I also like the Flyers' team total over 2.5 goals here at just -110. They've won four of their last five in Pittsburgh and are going to need to score to keep pace.

Cross-sport prop

George Kittle total receptions > Columbus Blue Jackets at Montreal Canadiens total goals

This one is almost too good to be true. The Kansas City Chiefs were a bottom-five team at defending the tight end position this season in terms of receptions and yards allowed. San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan is the best in the business at exploiting a defense's weakness and, with a projected total of 54.5, the 49ers will have to throw the ball a fair bit Sunday, with Kittle expected to be a focal point of that. Six receptions should be the minimum.

And six should be more than enough to surpass the total number of goals scored at the Bell Center on Sunday when the Blue Jackets visit the Canadiens. Their last five meetings in Montreal have featured just 18 goals (3.6 per game). Even if they fly over that total and the game finishes 3-2, we should feel more than comfortable with Kittle surpassing that mark.

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.