Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
Germany
Czechia
In the Ice Hockey World Championship, Germany will face off against Czechia on Monday, May 19. The puck drops at 16:20 Central European Time, and here’s my pick for this thrilling showdown.
Germany vs Czechia: Match preview
Germany kicked off the tournament with confidence, racking up three consecutive wins. The Germans thrashed Hungary 6-1, then beat Kazakhstan 4-1 and Norway 5-2. However, in their last two games, the team lost momentum. First, Germany suffered a heavy 1-5 defeat to Switzerland, then delivered a spectacular clash against Team USA. Trailing 0-3, they fought back to level the score at 3-3, but ultimately lost 3-6. Currently, Germany sits fourth in the group and is battling for a playoff spot. They edge out Denmark on tiebreakers, but an all-important head-to-head clash on Tuesday will determine their fate.
Czechia hasn’t mathematically clinched a playoff berth yet, but no one doubts they’ll make it. The Czechs are the reigning world champions and are eyeing another title. Their roster boasts several NHL stars, led by Pastrnak and Necas. Czechia remains unbeaten: they edged out a first-round overtime win 5-4, followed by convincing victories and now top the group with a 28:9 goal difference. Czechia still has a game against Team USA, and their main objective is to secure a higher seed to avoid meeting Canada or Sweden in the quarterfinals. Czechia currently has 14 points, Switzerland 13, and the USA 12.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Czechia and Canada have the tournament’s best offense, with 28 goals each.
- Czechia is on a five-game winning streak. Germany has lost its last two.
- Czechia has beaten Germany in seven straight matchups. The last German win came in 2022.
Prediction
Both teams enter this match highly motivated. In games like this, individual skill often makes the difference—and Czechia clearly has the edge here. My bet: Czechia to win at odds of 1.46.
