In the final round robin game of the 4 Nations Face-Off, Sweden and USA hit the ice. USA has already secured a spot in the Championship game with two regulation wins, but will have one more game to fine tune their lineup and get ready for that battle.
At this point of the tournament, Sweden has not set themselves up strong as they now rely on others in order to make the championship game. The scenario where they will make it will be an overtime win for Finland over Canada, and a regulation victory for themselves. This is not impossible, but has only a small chance. All they can control is winning this game.
To give you an idea on how this game may play out, we are here with our Sweden vs. USA picks and predictions for the game.
It is abundantly clear how powerful this USA team is. They are 2-0-0-0, and have scored nine goals while giving up just two. There is a reason why they are already guaranteed to play in the championship, but in this game against Sweden we may see a lower level of dominance.
This game means nothing to them in the standings, so it is highly possible there is load management on the bench, with the scratches and backup goaltender playing.
Even though this is only a four-game tournament Sweden is fighting for their lives and have a ton to play for here. Every player and team in this tournament has shown that these games mean something, so with that being said, Sweden should be expected to come out flying and play a full effort. Their comeback against Canada after being down 3-1 is proof that they are not to be taken lightly. As we know, Sweden has the team to compete, led by stars like William Nylander and Victor Hedman.
Regardless if USA takes their foot off the gas, they are too dominant to expect them to lay an egg and lose by multiple goals. They are likely in for a good battle against Sweden, who I think will keep this game within one goal if they can't climb the mountain and win this game. There is great value in Sweden, so the pick is the reverse puck line of +1.5.
The key to USA’s powerful run has been their ability to keep the puck out of the net. They are averaging 1.00 goals against per game, looking nearly unbeatable. In this game, however, I expect their game to open up slightly, allowing Sweden the chance to find the back of the net multiple times.
Auston Matthews, Kyle Connor, William Nylander, and Adrian Kempe are just some of the league’s best scorers featured in this game. This could be a long night for defenders and goaltenders with such threats constantly pushing the pace.
Sweden has scored three goals in each of their two overtime losses, so it seems that their offense is not a major issue which was expected. The problem however has been keeping it out of their net. They are welcoming a USA team that has scored at will. There is no reason that trend does not continue, even in a game that USA does not need to win.
Read Sweden vs. USA: How to watch 4 Nations Face-Off, TV channel, streaming, start time on site.
Sweden | +170 ML |
USA | -205 ML |
Puck Line | USA -1.5 |
Total | O/U 6.0 |
Auston Matthews (USA) | +170 |
Jack Hughes (USA) | +210 |
William Nylander (Sweden) | +250 |
Filip Forsberg (Sweden) | +250 |
Kyle Connor (USA) | +240 |
Jake Guentzel (USA) | +240 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.