Free World Cup of Hockey Pick: Finland vs North America Odds
Looking for Team Finland vs. Team North America free hockey plays? World Cup of Hockey betting sees Finland taking on North America on Sunday September 18th at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, ON. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all World Cup of Hockey matchups all tournament so stay tuned for more FREE daily World Cup of Hockey predictions.
(0-0-0) Finland vs. North America (0-0-0)
World Cup of Hockey
Date: Sunday, Sept. 18th
Time: 8:00 PM (EST)
Venue: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
Hockey Moneyline Odds: North America -135
Hockey Puck Line Odds: OFF
Betting Total: 5.5
Live Odds
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The World Cup of Hockey kicked off on Saturday with two games. The second game featured Team Canada and Team Czech Republic going head to head at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. (A big win for Canada)
World Cup of Hockey Group B action features the young stars of team North America and the pesky Finns, going head to head on Sunday night.
Team Finland
The Finns opened pre-tournament play with a 3-2 win over their Nordic rivals from Sweden.
They were handled by that same Swedish team to the tune of 6-3 two days later, before wrapping up their exhibition games with a 3-2 loss to the United States.
Finland has been a sneaky team at all levels, winning back to back World Junior Championships, and finishing runner up at the Worlds to Canada.
Don’t sleep on this team, and while North America is being hailed as the young stars, this Finland team features their own group of talented youngsters.
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Second overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft Patrik Laine will be one to watch in this tournament and you can make a fun drinking game out of this game if you drink every time Laine is compared to Auston Matthews (trust me, it’ll happen a lot).
Joining Laine up front are Chicago Blackhawks youngster Teuvo Teravainen, Minnesota’s Mikael Granlund anb Erik Haula, Sharks’ forward Joonas Donskoi and Panthers star Aleksander Barkov.
Oh and 19-year-old Hurricanes prospect Sebastian Aho is also in there. Those guys are a nice young crop, who are all 25 or younger.
The vets are a solid group as well with Maple Leafs’ pest Leo Komarov, Valtteri Filppula, and Wild captain Miko Koivu.
Team North America
With this tournament being hosted in Toronto, it’s fair to say that next to Team Canada, this is the team everyone’s eyes will be on.
North America features Leafs’ first overall pick Auston Matthews and number one defenceman Morgan Rielly.
Speed, speed, speed…my goodness this team has it in bunches with the likes of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Dylan Larkin, Johnny Gaudreau and Jonathan Drouin.
This forward group will create nightmares for opposing defences, who will have to be on their toes at all times.
Jack Eichel is also part of this group, as are a few established young stars like Brandon Saad and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Where North America is drawing some hesitation with the betting public, is that like many young teams, they’re a bit of a question mark defensively.
The group is talented with Aaron Ekblad, Morgan Rielly, Seth Jones and Shayne Gostisbehere, but against the world’s elite these guys are going to have their hands full.
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Goaltending? Well they’ve got the Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray who looks to be the consensus number one, and John Gibson figures to be the number two. Not bad at all.
Free Finland vs. North America Hockey Prediction
I know it was only pre-tournament, but I’ve got some concern about North America’s ability to overcome a strong structured team. The kids looked great rolling over Team Europe, but the Czechs kept them frustrated by playing a possession game and slowing the pace.
The Finns are similar to the Czechs but I’d argue they’re more talented. North America will get their chances, but I’d expect the Finns to play a tight-checking game and try to limit space for the speedy North Americans
4* Free WCH Betting Pick:
A close game, and I think the kids stumble a bit out of the gate against an organized team with a gameplan for them.
Finland gets an early one and is able to dictate the pace and you’ll see the North Americans start taking risks, trying to open up the ice.
Free Score Prediction: Finland 3 – North America 2
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