Will Finland win the Scandinavian showdown?

The group stage of the current ice hockey tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics is drawing to a close. The last day of play is particularly exciting in Group C. With Finland and Sweden, two teams are tied on points in the first two places, whereby the reigning runner-up from Finland has the better goal difference.

Even without NHL stars, the “Leijonat” has played a great tournament so far and mastered the group games against Slovakia and Latvia with flying colours. Now it’s up to them to underline their form against Sweden and secure a direct place in the quarter-finals.

Finland vs. Sweden ice hockey betting odds of 2.10 for tip 1 are currently offered. Because the IIHF world number two has not won any of the last four international matches against the Swedes, bets on the Finnish national ice hockey team in the showdown with the “Tre Konor” will also be daring in the context of the 2022 Olympics.

Sweden, like the Finnish national team, have won both group games at the 2022 Olympics. It is quite possible that the two-time Olympic champions will also win the group on the last match day.

Finland – Statistics & current form

Finland are on course for the quarter-finals. In the group opener with a clear victory against Slovakia (6:2), the Finnish national ice hockey team was also successful in the match against Latvia. In the second group game of the 2022 Olympics, the IIHF world number two won 3:1 against the Baltic representative.

It was the fifth win in a row for the “Leijonat”. Finland has not lost an international match since November 2021. The last time they lost was against Sweden in the Karjala Cup. Against that opponent, the aim now is to continue the current winning streak and to take revenge in order to win the group.

The last time the two teams met in an Olympic tournament was at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. On that occasion, Sweden beat the Finnish national ice hockey team 3-1 – for the second time in a row at an Olympic tournament, mind you.

No win against Sweden again?

It is quite possible that the negative trend against the Swedish national ice hockey team will continue this time. After all, almost three months ago there was a 1:3 defeat against the “Tre Konor” in the Karjala Cup, in which NHL stars were also dispensed with. A similar result cannot be ruled out this time.

Although Finland have played a strong group phase so far, neither of their last two group opponents were anywhere near the calibre of the Swedish national ice hockey team. In Finland vs. Sweden ice hockey, a prediction on the reigning runners-up is therefore associated with a lot of risk.

Sakari Manninen and Miro Aaltonen lead the internal scorer list for the Finnish national ice hockey team with three points each.

Sweden – Statistics & current form

Sweden is one of the strongest ice hockey nations in Europe. After all, the “Tre Konor” not only have eleven gold medals at IIHF World Championships to their credit, but also a total of two gold, three silver and four bronze medals at an Olympic tournament. The last time Sweden won the gold medal was at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Since then, Sweden has been eliminated in the quarter-finals in two of the last three Olympic tournaments. Only in 2014 did the Swedish national ice hockey team come close to winning the gold medal. In the final, the “Tre Konor” lost 0:3 to the star ensemble from Canada.

This time, Sweden & Co. have a realistic chance of winning the gold medal. Because all teams have to compete without NHL stars at the current Olympic tournament, there is no clear favourite – apart from Russia, who benefit from the KHL – at the Winter Olympics in Beijing.

13 players with NHL experience

The ranks of the “Tre Konor” include a total of ten players from the Russian KHL, nine players from the Swedish SHL – which is mostly used as a farm league for NHL teams – and six players from the Swiss National League. One of the top-class players is Marcus Kruger, who has already played more than 500 NHL games in his career.

Lucas Wallmark, meanwhile, is one of the most prolific scorers in the ranks of the two-time Olympic champions. The 26-year-old, currently under contract with CSKA Moscow at club level, has already scored three goals at the current Olympic tournament. It is quite possible that Wallmark will also underpin his form in the Scandinavian showdown.

If Wallmark & Co. lead the “Tre Konor” to a third win in a row at the 2022 Olympics, betting odds of 3.10 will be paid on Finland vs. Sweden Ice Hockey for tip 2.

Finland – Sweden Direct Comparison / H2H Balance

For the 86th time, the two hockey nations meet. Sweden leads the historical direct comparison against Finland with a record of 49-16-20. On average, 6.14 goals per game have been scored in international matches between the two teams. Nonetheless, it is risky to predict a high-scoring encounter in Finland vs. Sweden ice hockey this time around.

Especially as the last group match is of immense importance with regard to direct entry into the quarter-finals. If you take a look at the recent record of both nations, Sweden has the edge. After all, the Swedish national team has won its last four international matches against Finland. The last time the Swedes lost was in November 2020.

Finland – Sweden Tip

Finland and Sweden are definitely among the narrow circle of title favourites at the ice hockey tournament of the ongoing 2022 Winter Olympics. So far, both nations have made a splash even without NHL stars and have set the stage for the Scandinavian showdown in the first two group games.

At the end of the group stage, both teams are now fighting for the group victory. Sweden – in view of their recent record against the “Leijonat” – will go into the group match against the reigning runners-up with a broad chest. After all, Sweden have beaten the Finns in their last four international matches.

Tendentially, a victory for the Swedish national ice hockey team cannot be ruled out this time either. There is enough quality in the ranks of the “Tre Konor”, as the first two group games against Slovakia and Latvia showed. After all, Sweden has a good mix of experienced former NHL stars and up-and-coming youngsters at the 2022 Olympics.

With a stake of four units, we dare to bet on Finland vs. Sweden Ice Hockey at betting odds of 3.10 on the “Tre Konor” from Sweden. Sunday, however, is a real highlight not only at the 2022 Olympics: In the USA, the Super Bowl LVI between the LA Rams and the Bengals will take place on Sunday night!