NHL weekend betting preview: 4 sides to consider

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We went just 2-2 on Thursday but finished the night strong and will aim to carry that momentum into this weekend's slate.

There are 21 games scheduled over the next three days, which is more than enough to satisfy all your wildest betting desires.

GOATs and scapegoats

The Nashville Predators were our best bet on Thursday, but it's tough to single out one GOAT from their win, as Roman Josi, Mikael Granlund, and Kyle Turris all played starring roles. Instead, we'll go with Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov, who came through in a big way with a three-point night (two goals) to help beat the Arizona Coyotes. Keep doing your thing, Andrei.

As for our scapegoat, well ... you know what's not great for a first-period under?

What a miserable way to lose a bet. Thanks for nothing, Buffalo.

Weekend bets

Friday: Dallas Stars -1.5 (+140)

The Minnesota Wild have lost nine of their last 11 road games on no rest, and seven of those came by two goals or more. The Stars have won five of their last six over the Wild in Dallas, and each of those wins came by at least two goals. Back the Stars to get a comfortable victory on Friday.

Saturday: Nashville Predators

We're going back to the well here with the Predators, who've caught fire and are simply playing better hockey right now than the Edmonton Oilers are. Nashville has won six of its last seven road games and seven of its last eight matchups in Edmonton. Back the Preds to make it eight of nine on Saturday.

Saturday: Colorado Avalanche

Tread carefully because I'm lower on the Columbus Blue Jackets than most. They will play Friday night as well, and although they've won four straight games on no rest, their opponents in those matchups were all among the league's bottom teams. Let's see them do it against one of the NHL's best clubs in the Avalanche, who can probably be wagered at a very short price here given the recent form of both sides.

Best bet

Sunday: Chicago Blackhawks

Sunday's game at Bell MTS Place will be massive for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Winnipeg Jets, who are both chasing a wild-card spot and are separated by one point in the standings as of Friday.

The Blackhawks' rise has largely been due to their terrific play away from home, as they've won eight of their last 10 on the road. The Jets, meanwhile, have struggled mightily on home ice, losing nine of their last 11 at MTS place.

This will be the second game in as many nights for the Jets, who've also struggled in back-to-backs, losing six of their last nine on no rest. Chicago won't have played since being robbed of a win by the referees on Thursday, which means they'll be rested and chomping at the bit to avenge that overtime loss.

Trend of the night

The Boston Bruins have lost four straight against the Detroit Red Wings, including three in a row at Little Caesars Arena.

With only a four-game sample size, this is hardly the most overwhelming trend, but it's still remarkable how much the Bruins have struggled against the lowly Wings of late. This game will be the second leg of a back-to-back for Boston as well. There's certainly a case to be made for wagering on Detroit at around +200.

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.