As Canada and the United States of America prepare to rematch in the Championship of the Four Nations Faceoff, the stakes are even greater than in their legendary first meeting in the tournament.
With the puck set to drop at 8 p.m. ET, millions will be watching, and surely many will be placing bets. If you are looking for some bets to place, look no further. Here are three of my personal best bets for the big game. I will not offer any money line suggestions in this article, as in this massive affair between nations, you will be hard-pressed to find anyone betting against their own country. (Odds are accurate on DraftKings at the time of writing)
Game Total: Over 5.5 +114
Team Canada has exceeded this number in two of its three games. The only game that went under was the 3-1 loss to the Americans. Nevertheless, I think the Canadians will figure out Vezina trophy favorite Connor Hellebuyck, team USA’s goaltender, in their second time around. I expect this game to be much more wide-open than the first meeting. Both teams looked afraid to make mistakes and were more focused on making their presence felt physically. Expect the same level of physicality in what will be another spirited bout, but Team Canada should be able to use their speed better than they did in the first match to open this game up. Given the fact that these two teams have seen each other already, we can assume they understand and have studied how to play each other, which leads me to believe we will see a much more free-flowing game.
60 Minute Line: Draw +295
My next best bet is more of a long shot than the total, but I believe we will get free hockey tonight. I am betting this championship will go to overtime. I feel this will be a close game all the way through, where each team answers a goal with a score of its own. I could see a game where neither team leads even by two at any point, but certainly not by three. I am feeling a 3-3 tie after regulation. Handicapping a game to go to overtime is always a risk, but with these two teams being so evenly matched and now playing for gold, this bet is certainly worth the value you are getting.
Anytime Goalscorer: Brad Marchand +550
This one may seem like a ridiculous long shot, but let’s break down why I will be betting on Marchand to score tonight. I love this bet, and I have so many angles as to why I am targeting Marchand in the final. First off, if you did not know, this game will be played at the TD Garden in Boston, Marchand’s home rink, as he is the captain of the Boston Bruins. Marchand will certainly be fired up to play in front of thousands of Bruins fans, hoping to break their hearts. Team Canada’s coach, Jon Cooper, has been speaking highly of Marchand all tournament long. “His heart’s the shape of a maple leaf,” Cooper said. Tonight Marchand will repay Cooper for his big words, proving why he is such a big part of Hockey Canada.
Marchand has a knack for scoring big goals for Team Canada; the last time he played in a Championship game for his country, he scored the game-winning goal at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
The narratives are just too strong to pass up betting on Marchand at this number (+550). Not only is Marchand incredibly clutch, but he has also had a strong tournament. Although he did not have a shot on net in Canada’s win 5-3 against Finland, Marchand had two shots against the USA and another two against Sweden, including a goal. This may be the longest shot on my betting card, but it is definitely my favorite.
This is about to be one of the most-watched hockey games of all time, so expect a great one. These players will certainly do anything to win for their country, given it is the biggest game of their career, cleary these players are passionate about their nations. “I’ve played in some really big games, and this is the biggest one.” Stanley Cup Champion Matthew Tkachuk told Elliotte Friedman, proving how monumental this game is for both countries. Expect a classic.
Enjoy the game!
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