In the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Calgary Flames made it all the way to the Western Conference Final before being swept by the St. Louis Blues. In their previous 4 games, they had scored just 1 goal each. However, in their 5 playoff games following that sweep, the Flames scored an average of 3 goals per game. What happened?
Canada vs Sweden Men’s Hockey Odds, Picks, and Predictions: Scoring Surge to the Over
In hockey, as in any sport, momentum can be key. After struggling for much of the playoffs, Canada suddenly found its offense in round 5 and went on to win Games 5 and 6 (the most recent two games) by scores of 4-1 and 5-2. Sweden lost Game 5 by a score of 4-1 but bounced back to take Game 6 by 3 goals. So who has momentum going into this semifinal matchup?
Canada
As the World Cup of Hockey gets closer and the Canada vs Sweden matchup heats up, bettors are starting to get more confident in their picks. While both squads are capable of putting on a show, one team is clearly headed for the win – Canada.
Canada has been on a scoring tear recently, evidenced by their 19-2-1 record over their past 22 games. Their offense is led by a trio of players with at least 25 points: Connor McDavid (47 points), Sidney Crosby (36 points) and Erik Karlsson (27 points). However, despite being known as one of the best defensive teams in the world, Canada’s defense has struggled against lower-ranked opponents. Against top competition, they’ve held their own, but they’ll need to improve if they want to beat Sweden.
With both teams averaging over three goals per game this season, it’s likely that goal differential will be a deciding factor in this game. Canada holds an advantage in this category with a +7 scoring margin compared to Sweden’s +4 margin. However, Sweden has had more success playing on home ice – including winning both of their previousmeetings against Canada on neutral soil.
So although we believe that Canada will win in a close match, it’s worth keeping an eye on Sweden’s offense – which could surprise some people.
Sweden
In the past few years, Canada has been dominating men’s hockey. They are currently ranked first in the world and have won a total of six Olympic gold medals. Meanwhile, Sweden is ranked second in the world and has only won one Olympic gold medal. This year’s World Cup is no different as Canada looks to maintain their dominance while Sweden looks to make a run.
Here are the odds for each country:
Canada: -250 favourites
Sweden: +175 favourites
The World Cup starts on Thursday and runs until Sunday. Here are our predictions for who will win each game:
Thursday: Canada 2-1 Sweden
Friday: Canada 3-0 Sweden
Saturday: Canada 2-1 Switzerland
Sunday: Canada 3-1 Sweden
Odds to win
The Canadians are coming into this tournament hot, as they’ve been scoring a lot lately. Sweden on the other hand, is coming off of a disappointing finish to their league season. Can Canada’s offence carry them to victory? Or will Sweden’s defence be able to hold them off and claim the gold medal? Here are the odds for each team to win:
Canada – 3/10
Sweden – 2/9
Picks
Looking to up the ante in this year’s World Junior Championship? Canada has the firepower, while Sweden looks to be a formidable opponent. Let’s take a look at the odds, picks and predictions for these two powerhouse squads.
Canada – as expected – is heavy favorites to win gold this year. The team is loaded with talent, headlined by forwards Matthews (No.1 overall pick in 2016 NHL Draft) and Eichel (No.2 overall pick in 2015 NHL Draft). Defenseman Hayton (second-round selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2016 NHL Draft) will also be a key player for Canada. Look for them to score plenty of goals, with Matthews and Eichel leading the way.
Sweden is not to be taken lightly, however. Led by captain Linsefson (New York Rangers prospect), Sweden has some serious firepower up front. Gustavsson (Toronto Maple Leafs prospect) and Lindholm (Arizona Coyotes prospect) are both excellent goalies, but don’t underestimate their defense either – especially backline stalwarts Larsson (New Jersey Devils), Godard (Montreal Canadiens) and Pouliot (Florida Panthers). Sweden should be able to keep things close, but Canada should comeout on top in the end.
Predictions
Canada – 3-0
Sweden – 2-1
Predictions
In the past few years, Canada has been one of the most dominant teams in international men’s hockey. They’ve won a record-breaking number of medals and championships, and they’re looking to continue that success in the upcoming Winter Olympics. Sweden, on the other hand, is in the midst of a scoring surge. They’ve won a lot of silverware in recent years, and they’re looking to take home gold this year. Who will come out on top? Here are Canada vs Sweden predictions, odds, and betting tips:
Canada vs Sweden Prediction: Canada Wins
There’s no doubt that Canada is the favorite here. They’re arguably the best team in the world, and they have a ton of experience playing at this level. Sweden is certainly talented, but they don’t have the same level of experience or firepower as Canada does. I think Canada will win by at least two goals, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they won by more than three goals. Betting on Canada is definitely the way to go here.
Conclusion
It’s time for our weekly hockey column and this week we are going to take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Swedish Hockey League team, Frölunda HC. The regular season is coming to a close in both leagues, with only five games remaining in Sweden and nine games left in Canada.
The Swedes have been on fire lately, winning eight of their last ten games including a 6-3 demolition of KHL side Salavat Yulaev Ufa on Sunday. This has seen them move up to third place in the table, just one point behind second-place HC Sochi. Toronto is still chasing down Carolina but it looks like they will miss out on the playoffs altogether after losing four of their last five games.
There is no doubt that these two teams are among the best in Europe right now and as such there are sure to be some pretty exciting matches between them over the next few weeks. So who do you think will come out on top?
