Hockey fans are in for a heavyweight fight on Tuesday when Team USA battles Team Canada to round out the preliminary round in the Women’s Ice Hockey at the Olympics.
These teams are the favorites to win Gold for a reason as both rosters are stacked full of talent from top to bottom. With both looking to gain the best possible seed for the quarterfinal round, plenty is on the line in this clash.
Team USA and Team Canada have a rich rivalry in women’s hockey, as the two teams have met in the Gold medal game in all but one Olympics (2006) since women’s ice hockey became an Olympic sport in 1998.
The most recent matchups between these teams came in a four-game Rivalry Series in November and December, with Team USA winning all four matchups. Not only did the Americans sweep the series, but they did so in convincing fashion, out-scoring Canada 24-7 in those four meetings, which should give them plenty of confidence heading into this matchup.
Both teams have plenty of scoring depth, but the Americans proved that they can handle Canada’s scoring attack by holding them to under two goals per game in the Rivalry Series.
Furthermore, Team USA boasts more offensive talent on the blue line than Team Canada. Wisconsin’s Caroline Harvey has 54 points on 17 goals and 37 assists through 26 games this season, and Megan Keller currently leads all PWHL defenders in goals (5) and points (11).
All in all, the kind of well-rounded scoring attack from all points on the ice could prove to be too much for Team Canada to handle.
Both of these teams were in action on Monday, as Team USA battled Switzerland and Team Canada took on Czechia, meaning both will be playing on back-to-back days for the first time in this tournament.
It’s also worth noting that this is the fourth and final game of the preliminary round for each team. In addition to fatigue being a possibility, the scheduling dynamic of consecutive game days can sometimes put a team out of whack in the early going. Instead, these teams could spend the first period or so getting a feel for the other’s game plan. That could result in a more defense-minded approach early on.
Team USA had little trouble holding Team Canada to low goal totals in the Rivalry Series, so it would be a bit surprising to see Canada light the lamp early and often. While the Canadians struggled to limit the Americans offensively, Team Canada has had plenty of time to develop a more effective defensive game plan.
In addition, by scoring just seven total goals in four games in the Rivalry Series, it’s also a strong possibility that Team Canada knows its best chance to beat the Americans is by being stingy defensively. They may not be able to stop Team USA completely, but Team Canada should be able to put forth a better defensive effort than the 6.0 goals per game they allowed during the Rivalry Series. Look for this one to stay under the listed total of 5.5.
Read more betting picks and predictions for the Olympics on site.
USA
-134
Canada
+105
Puck Line
USA -1.5
Total
O/U 5.5
Hilary Knight (USA)
+170
Abbey Murphy (USA)
+210
Sarah Fillier (Canada)
+240
Alex Carpenter (USA)
+240
Marie-Philip Poulin (Canada)
+250
Tessa Janecke (USA)
+280
Read the latest Olympics news on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
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