Finland is the winningest and most beaten team in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. They will face the tournament favorite, the United States, on Thursday at the Bell Centre in Montreal (8 p.m., ESPN).
As if the Finns' task wasn't tall enough, their defense was plagued by injuries before the tournament, turning an already difficult mountain into Mount Everest.
Our predictions and betting odds for the USA vs Finland match suggest that the Americans will come away with a solid win in a relatively low-scoring encounter.
Who will win the USA vs Finland match?
USA -1.5
Finland was already David in this tournament until Jani Hakanpaa, Rasmus Ristolainen and Miro Heiskanen all dropped out due to injuries. Comparing their lineups to each other is like comparing the depth in a kiddie pool to the Olympic 10-meter diving.
Even though these passionate competitions are not on paper, I believe the Finns will not be able to overcome too much of a class difference. I don't think the U.S. will defeat them in a blowout. The most likely outcome is 4-1 (the last goal was an insurance goal into an empty net).
The USA have an enviable lineup, especially in goal, as I discussed in my predictions for the 4 Nations face-off.
I have no doubt that Finland's defense will make life difficult for them, but one can only long thwart what should be a relentless barrage of attacks from players like Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, Kyle Conner, Brady Tkachuk, etc.
A winning bet of $10 will yield a profit of $8.33.
What will be the score in the match USA vs Finland?
Less than 5.5 goals.
What do you think of the idea of Juuse Saros vs. Connor Hellebuyck?
Two of the best goalies in the last decade will be defending their respective teams, with Hellebuyck once again being the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy.
While the Finns have enough offensive power to trouble the U.S., Mike Sullivan's team must dictate play to minimize the Finns' dangerous chances.
I like Hellebuyck's chances to save just about anything he sees. And then there are the Finns, who will do everything they can to prevent the Americans from showcasing their high-octane, all-star-like offense.
They'll be dropping deep, trying to force the U.S. to take shots from the perimeter. While the favorites should dominate in terms of shots, Saros will likely be at his best while wearing his country's colors.
I like the Under 5.5 Goal bet on even money, which will return $10 on a $10 win.
Odds for USA vs Finland
| Market | USA | Finland |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -330 | +220 |
| Puck line | -1.5 (-120) | +1.5 (-120) |
| Over/Under | Over 5.5 (-120) | Under 5.5 (+100) |
USA and Finland Rosters
Here are the rosters for Thursday's 4 Nations Face-Off between USA and Finland.
| USA | Finland |
|---|---|
| Matt Boldy | Sebastian Aho |
| Kyle Connor | Joel Armia |
| Jack Eichel | Aleksander Barkov |
| Jake Guentzel | Mikael Granlund |
| Jack Hughes | Erik Haula |
| Chris Kreider | Roope Hintz |
| Dylan Larkin | Kaapo Kakko |
| Auston Matthews | Patrik Laine |
| J.T. Miller | Artturi Lehkonen |
| Brock Nelson | Anton Lundell |
| Matthew Tkachuk | Eetu Luostarinen |
| Brady Tkachuk | Mikko Rantanen |
| Vincent Trocheck | Teuvo Teravainen |
| Brock Faber | Esa Lindell |
| Adam Fox | Olli Maataa |
| Noah Hanifin | Niko Mikkola |
| Charlie McAvoy | Nikolas Matinpalo |
| Jaccob Slavin | Juuso Valimaki |
| Zach Werenski | Henri Jokiharju |
| Jake Sanderson | Urho Vaakanainen |
| Connor Hellebuyck | Kevin Lankinen |
| Jake Oettinger | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen |
| Jeremy Swayman | Juuse Saros |
When will the USA vs Finland match take place?
When: Thursday, Feb. 13.
Puck drop: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Bell Centre (Montreal, Quebec)
How to watch: ESPN, Sportsnet
Favorite: USA
