Subscribe
Follow Us
The USA will battle Finland in the 4-Nations Face-Off. It will be a showdown at the Bell Centre as we share our NHL odds series and make a USA-Finland prediction and pick.
The 4-Nations Face-Off is finally here, and plenty of action will occur. It's a replacement for the All-Star Break this season, as the NHL created a mini-tournament with NHL players from four different countries. Yes, it's a little new. But it also is something that may motivate the players to do well as they will be representing their home countries. This will be the first game for both countries and the second overall.
The US National Men's Hockey team will prepare to play a Finnish team with many scorers. Also, they have paid tribute to Johnny Gaudreau by hanging his jersey in the stall along with a USA flag. This battle will be one for the ages.
Here are the USA-Finland NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: USA-Finland Odds
USA: -1.5 (-122)
Moneyline: -335
Finland: +1.5 (+100)
Moneyline: +265
Over: 5.5 (-120)
Under: 5.5 (-102)
How To Watch USA vs Finland
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: ESPN and ESPN+
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the USA Could Cover the Spread/Win
Matthew Tkachuk leads the USA into battle and is one of the best players in the world, with 22 goals and 35 assists over 52 games for the Florida Panthers. Ultimately, he will likely be on the first line alongside Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights and JT Miller of the New York Rangers. This line will be the first to make its mark. Then, the second line will take charge. It is probably one of the best second lines ever assembled, with Kyle Connor of the Winnipeg Jets, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils.
When Team USA needs secondary scoring, they will have some good options. Jake Guentzel of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings, and Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators will likely take charge of the third line. Then, Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders, Vincent Trocheck of the Rangers, and Matt Boldy of the Minnesota Wild will likely take the reins of the fourth line.
The defense will also have some outstanding options. Significantly, the first pairing will include Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks and Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins. The second pairing will likely feature Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes and Adam Fox of the Rangers. Finally, the final pairing will include Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Brock Faber of the Minnesota Wild.
The US will also have the best goalie in the NHL, as Connor Hellebuyck of the Jets will guard the crease. If Hellebuyck needs a break, Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars will take charge. Also, Jeremy Swayman is also available.
The USA will cover the spread if Tkachuk, Eichel, and Miller can set up some scoring early while Matthews, Connor, and Hughes also contribute. Then, they need a good defense to help Hellebuyck dominate.
Why the Finland Could Cover the Spread/Win
Finland is the heavy underdog in this game as they are facing one of the best-assembled teams ever. Yet, they still have NHL talent who can help them pull the upset.
Aleksander Barkov of the Panthers, Artturi Lehkonen, and Mikko Rantanen of the Colorado Avalanche lead the charge, taking over the first line. Likewise, Patrik Laine of the Montreal Canadiens, Sebastian Aho of the Hurricanes, and Teuvo Teravainen of the Chicago Blackhawks will have the second line. Roope Hintz of the Dallas Stars, Mikael Grandlund of the San Jose Sharks, and Kaapo Kakko of the Seattle Kraken will head the third line. Finally, Eetu Luostarainen and Anton Lundell of the Panthers, along with Joel Armia of the Canadiens, guide the fourth line.
The defense is a weakness. While these players are talented, they are not as great as other rosters. Significantly, Nikko Mikkola of the Panthers and Esa Lindell of the Stars handle the first pairing, while Olli Maata of the Utah Hockey Team and Risto Ristolainen of the Buffalo Sabres run the second pairing. Kevin Lankinen of the Vancouver Canucks and Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators dominate the crease.
Finland will cover the spread if their defense can help create turnovers and opportunities for the offense to score. Ultimately, they also need a great goaltending performance.
Final USA-Finland Prediction & Pick
This will be a fun showdown between two great countries. While there is NHL talent on both sides, it is tough to see the Finnish National Team competing with the Americans, especially with the defense being a major weakness. Because of that, I have the USA doing enough to cover the spread.
Final USA-Finland Prediction & Pick: USA: -1.5 (-122)
