Ryan Hodges
What has been a phenomenal tournament has led to the final round robin games being do or die. Team USA has clinched their spot in the Championship game on Thursday. But Teams Sweden, Finland, and Canada are all tied with 2 points and in a must-win situation. Fans are in for a treat on Monday as teams play for their tournament lives. This will be a day of great hockey, made more interesting for those looking to make a wager or two. Here are a few markets we’re looking at for Monday’s action if you are interested in making a few bets.
Let’s dive into a a few plays we like, while you can also find our NHL picks for every game.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook and available at time of publishing.
Team Canada -1.5 (-155)
Nathan MacKinnon anytime goalscorer (+165)
Team Sweden vs Team USA alternate over 6.5 (+145)
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Team Canada -1.5 (-155)
Not much of the hockey world, including the players and coaches in Team Canada’s locker room, expected them to be playing for their tournament lives in their third game of the round robin. Team Canada controls their own destiny now, and they want nothing more than to get another crack at Team USA. We’ll likely see Team Canada’s best effort yet in this tournament.
On paper, Team Canada is already the deeper, more talented team. Add in the newfound chip on their shoulder and urgency to win, and that intangible should propel them to run up the score. Team Finland doesn’t look to have the defense core or consistent goaltending to keep this one very close. Look for Team Canada to dominate this one.
Read our full Team Finland vs Team Canada prediction for their matchup on Monday afternoon.
Nathan MacKinnon anytime goalscorer (+165)
After a very solid opening game, Nathan MacKinnon was held in check by Team USA. On Saturday, he had just a shot on goal and was -1 with 2 giveaways. A Nathan MacKinnon scorned is a scary version of Nathan MacKinnon. He has shown time and time again that when there is extra urgency in his game, he can seemingly create scoring chances at will.
MacKinnon will be a man on a mission in this game to help get Canada to a rematch against the U.S. on Thursday in the Championship. His raw talent, alongside linemates Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, will be a very large task for Team Finland. MacKinnon and his line will be leaned on to produce, and getting +165 for one of the best players in the world to score is good value.
Team Sweden vs Team USA alternate over 6.5 (+145)
The pure matchup of this game gives the over appeal. The game total is 5.5 goals, but for better odds, an over 6.5 is still playable. Team USA has scored 9 goals through 2 games, which matches up well against Team Sweden’s 8 goals allowed in their 2 games. The Americans are clicking on all cylinders, and have a good chance to hold to their offensive averages.
What could open the door to Sweden a little bit is that the U.S. has already clinched a spot in the Championship game on Thursday. The Americans’ focus will be staying healthy, and will likely not play as physical as they did on Saturday. A less physical game would give the Swedes more space to work with. Team Sweden has scored 3 goals in each of their 2 games, showing their ability to push opponents in big games. The total should climb if these teams hold to their averages.
Read our full Team Sweden vs Team USA prediction for their matchup on Monday night.
