USA vs. Sweden Quarterfinal Odds: Men’s Olympic Hockey Preview and Predictions

These teams began the tournament with the second and third-shortest odds to win Gold, which sets up for an entertaining elimination contest.

Team USA earned a bye into the quarterfinals by sweeping Group play with wins over Latvia, Denmark, and Germany. On the other side, Team Sweden had to play its way into the quarterfinals, taking down Latvia by a score of 5-1 on Tuesday in the qualifying round. 

As puck drop draws nearer in this elimination game, who has the edge between Team USA and Team Sweden?

USA vs. Sweden Olympic men’s hockey odds and betting trends

Team Canada remains the overwhelming favourite to win Gold, but Team USA is holding steady with the second-shortest odds to win it all entering the quarterfinal round. Sweden began the tournament with the third-shortest odds to win Gold, but suffered a surprising 4-1 loss to Slovakia in the opener. They have been able to get back on track since then, but their Gold medal odds are now longer than when the tournament began. 

The Americans find themselves as the favourites for the fourth straight game of this tournament. However, oddsmakers are expecting Sweden to put up a tougher fight against Team USA than Latvia, Denmark, or Germany. Team USA has odds of -250 on the money line, while Sweden has odds of +205 to send the Americans home. When it comes to the puck line, USA -1.5 has odds of +100, while Sweden +1.5 carries a price of -120. The total is 6.5 with the Over carrying -102 odds and the Under sitting at -118.

Team USA

Team USA was heavily favoured in all three games in Group play and took care of business by winning each game by at least three goals. The USA’s elite scoring depth was on full display, as all four lines were rolling and created matchup nightmares for their opponents. The Americans scored 16 goals through three games, with 11 different players finding the back of the net. 

Team USA boasts the deepest defensive group in this tournament, which could play a major role in this matchup. Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski are two of the best offensive-defencemen in the world, and they have both made a major impact so far in this tournament. 

The Americans allowed just five total goals through three games in Group play, as their stingy defence and solid goaltending paved the way for a sweep. Connor Hellebuyck is expected to get the starting nod between the pipes, which should give Team USA plenty of confidence. Hellebuyck allowed just a single goal against Latvia and Germany, posting a solid .952 save percentage along the way.

Team Sweden

Team Sweden finally got the well-rounded performance they had been waiting for in the qualifying round against Latvia. The Swedes underperformed in Group play, but it now seems that their top players have found their game. Lucas Raymond is among the tournament leaders in scoring with eight points (one goal and seven assists), and his elite performance has been a catalyst for the Swedes. 

After shaky starts to the tournament, Mika Zibanejad, Adrian Kempe, and William Nylander all looked much better against Latvia. Center depth may be an issue when going up against the Americans, but Sweden should still enter this contest with plenty of confidence after yesterday’s convincing win over Latvia.

Filip Gustavsson posted a less-than-ideal .889 save percentage through two games in net to start the tournament, which put Jacob Markstrom into the starting role. Markstrom played well against Latvia on Tuesday, but if he is asked to play on back-to-back days, he has a tough assignment. Gustavsson’s struggles also present issues for Sweden, so it will be interesting to see how they handle the goaltending situation. 

Olympics Prediction: Who Will Win USA vs. Sweden?

Getting Sweden in the quarterfinal round is a tough draw for Team USA. Sweden has underperformed so far, but the squad is still loaded with NHL talent and capable of pulling off the upset. However, Team USA’s offensive attack has been much more reliable, and Hellebuyck gives the Americans the advantage between the pipes. 

Don’t expect a lopsided win, but look for Team USA to prevail in a close one. I expect Team USA to win this matchup by a score of 3-2.