Both Finland and Sweden are 0-1 after the first games of their 4 Nations Face-Off campaigns. These teams took on the co-favorites USA and Canada in their first games and were not able to win despite staying competitive for the most part. Those results make this Finland vs Sweden matchup a must-win affair for both teams, as an 0-2 start would almost certainly eliminate them from playing for the championship.
Here, we have analyzed Finland vs Sweden and have zoned in on our best bet for this contest from Bell Centre in Montreal. Continue reading to find out what we like in the betting markets for the game along with what we feel are the keys to this contest between these two teams that are desperate for a victory.
Finland vs Sweden Betting Odds
| Finland | Sweden | |
| Moneyline | +170 | -205 |
| Puckline | +1.5 (-162) | -1.5 (+136) |
| Total | Over 5.5 (+102) | Under 5.5 (-122) |
Finland Looking to Rebound After Tough Ending
Finland managed to hang tough against the United States for two periods in their 4 Nations Face-Off opener on Thursday night. But the third period went horribly wrong for the Finns, as they were outscored 4-0 in the third period of what became a 6-1 loss. Finland was the biggest underdog to win this event before the puck first dropped and they will need to prove that their defense can hold up for three periods if they want to upset Sweden to give themselves a chance to advance.
Discipline surrounding penalties will also be key for Finland if they want to avoid an 0-2 start in this tournament. They gave up two power play goals in the third period against Team USA on Thursday, which really allowed the Americans to break things open in that final 20 minutes. Staying out of the sin bin will be key for a Finland team that needs all the help it can get right now even when at even strength against their opponents given all of their injury concerns.
Sweden In Must-Win Mode After OT Loss
Sweden put up a great fight against Canada in the first game of their campaign. They took Canada to overtime, with both sides scoring three goals in regulation, but Canada was able to get the breakthrough in overtime to drop Sweden to 0-1 for the tournament. Now Sweden faces a must-win situation as they look to avoid tripping up against the team that was expected to be the worst going into this 4 Nations Face-Off.
For Sweden, there will be some positive regression to the mean expected on defense in this game. After facing a Canadian attack that features some of the best players in the recent history of hockey, facing Finland will be a much less daunting proposition. But the Swedes will still need to play as a cohesive defensive unit to avoid being put on upset alert.
Finland vs Sweden Prediction
Sweden ML (-205) over Finland
- Sweden looked very good against Canada and we like them to look even better against a smaller opponent in Finland.
- Finland’s defense collapsed in the final period against the USA and that will be an issue going into this game.
