The round robin stage of the 4 Nations Face-Off will open with a matchup between Canada and Sweden. The Canadians come into this matchup as favorites to win this game and as co-favorites with the United States to win the tournament. But Sweden is certainly a threat themselves as they aim to upset their hosts in this contest to get off to a fast start.
Here, we bring you our analysis of Canada vs Sweden from Bell Centre in Montreal. Along with our keys to this tournament-opening game, you can also find our best bet for what should be an exciting affair between two teams that will have their sights set on winning the trophy at the end of this competition.
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Canada vs Sweden Betting Odds
| Canada | Sweden | |
| Moneyline | -238 | +195 |
| Puckline | -1.5 (+110) | +1.5 (-130) |
| Total | Over 5.5 (-135) | Under 5.5 (+114) |
Canada Looks to Use Firepower to Its Advantage
Going into the 4 Nations Face-Off, Canada is at +150 to win the tournament, the same odds as the United States. If they can beat Sweden in this curtain raiser from Quebec, the Canadians will briefly be sole favorites before the US takes on Finland on Thursday. For Canada to pick up a win in this matchup, they will look to breach the Swedish defense, something they are expected to do early and often.
Canada’s attack will be the focal point going into this game, with the question being whether they can come together as a unit to deliver on their high expectations. They are led in their attack by Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, who is one of the many key players that has his club team listed as favorites in Stanley Cup futures odds. He is joined in the attack by players like Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins in what should be a fearsome attacking unit.
Can Sweden Slow Down Canadian Attack?
Sweden is the underdog coming into their first matchup of the 4 Nations Face-Off. But that could end up working in their favor in this game. All of the pressure in this contest is on the shoulders of the Canadians, something Team Canada is aware of. With the Swedes playing with house money in their tournament opener, they will look to pull off an upset that could put them in a great position to set up a championship run.
The biggest key to this game for Sweden is going to be cohesion defensively. Against a team with as many weapons as Canada, the Swedes have to avoid being disorganized, which is always a vulnerability of any team in an international tournament without much of a chance to play together. While there is plenty of high-level experience on Team Sweden, they will have to avoid letting this game get away from them early by clamping down on Canada with their defending.
Canada vs Sweden Best Bet
Our best bet for Canada vs Sweden is for the game to go over the total of 5.5 goals. While we expect Canada to do the majority of the scoring in this game, Sweden should do their part to get the game to the total as well. Look for a 4-2 game or something close to it, as we should get plenty of excitement to set the tone for the rest of this tournament.
