Manuel Chávez
Dailysports's expert
Sweden
Czechia
On May 22, Sweden and Czechia will face off in their quarterfinal clash at the Ice Hockey World Championship. Here’s my pick for this high-stakes showdown between two top national teams.
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Sweden
The Swedes have no choice but to fight for the championship on home ice, especially with the support of their passionate fans. The team looked solid throughout the group stage, collecting maximum points in their first six matches before dropping their final game to Canada, 3-5, which left Tre Kronor second in the group.
Despite that recent setback, Sweden are in great form and remain title contenders. Boston Bruins forward Elias Lindholm stands out among his teammates, already tallying 11 points in the tournament.
Czechia
Coming into the tournament as defending world champions, Czechia are also seen as top contenders. They too won their first six games—beating Switzerland in overtime and taking care of all other opponents in regulation. Their last group match saw them fall 2-5 to the United States, pushing them down to third place.
Patrňák, also representing Boston, has been excellent, racking up 14 points so far, while veteran forward Červenka has impressed with 13 points of his own. The quarterfinals promise to be a tough test for the Czechs.
Match facts
- In the group stage, Sweden averaged four goals scored per game, conceding just over one.
- Czechia averaged five goals scored per game, conceding two.
- The odds for this matchup: Sweden win – 1.72, Draw – 4.45, Czechia win – 4.2.
H2H
The sides last met at the previous World Championship, but in the semifinals, where Czechia triumphed 7-3. These teams have a long history of head-to-head encounters, with results often swinging both ways.
Prediction
This fixture speaks for itself—a battle between two powerhouse teams who know what it takes to win at the world stage. Bookmakers are siding with Sweden, mainly due to their home-ice advantage. I believe Czechia are being slightly underestimated, so I’m expecting a thrilling contest. Betting on the total to go over 5 goals looks like a solid pick.
