Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
Canada
Fainland
In one of the classic and central matchups of the World Ice Hockey Championship group stage, Canada will take on Finland. The showdown is set for Monday, May 19, at 20:20 Central European Time, and I’ve got a betting tip lined up for this clash.
Canada vs Finland: Match preview
Canada has brought a phenomenal roster to the tournament. MacKinnon, Crosby, Binnington, Fleury, and other NHL stars are putting on a show. The Maple Leafs remain undefeated and currently hold second place in the standings. After five opening games, they’ve racked up 15 points, trailing Sweden by three, but Tre Kronor have played one match more—giving Canada a golden opportunity to take the lead. At this stage, Canada boasts the tournament’s best offense with 28 goals scored. Even more impressive, they’ve conceded just two goals—the tightest defense in the championship.
Finland, meanwhile, hasn’t shown particularly convincing hockey so far, yet still sits third in the group. Victories have come hard for the Suomi. Their opener was a narrow win over Austria, followed by an overtime nail-biter against France. Then came a slim 2-1 victory over Latvia, a 1-2 loss to Sweden, and a blowout over Slovenia (9-1). The Finns haven’t secured a playoff spot yet, but with a five-point cushion over fifth place and two rounds to go, they’re in a decent position to push through.
Match facts and head-to-head stats
- Canada is on a nine-game unbeaten streak.
- Canada has the best offense in the tournament – 28 goals scored.
- They’ve also conceded just two goals – the tournament’s best defense.
- Canada has beaten Finland in three straight meetings. In their last five encounters: three wins for Canada, two for Finland.
Prediction
Canada is playing vibrant, powerful hockey and, in my view, it’ll be extremely tough for Finland to stop this machine. The Suomi will put up a fight, no doubt, but Canada has both the best attack and defense in the tournament. I believe they’ll handle this challenge as well. My bet: Canada individual total over 3.5 goals at odds of 1.6.
