2022 IIHF WJC: Canada vs. Finland Gold Medal Final Odds, Prediction

Team Canada will battle for hockey gold on Saturday night as they prepare to face Team Finland in the final of the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship in Edmonton.  Canada punched their ticket to the gold medal game with a 5-2 win over Czechia in the early semifinal game on Friday, while Finland blanked Sweden 1-0 in the late semifinal.

Canada is a slim 1.5-goal favourite to win on the WJC odds, while the total is set at 6.0.

2022 WJC Gold Medal Final Canada vs. Finland Betting Odds

There’s been no real bumps in the road for Canada up to this point as they’re a perfect 6-0 in the tournament.  Finland has looked just as strong, with their sole loss actually coming against Canada in the preliminary round.  Mason McTavish (1G, 2A) and Olen Zellweger (3A) both had three-point efforts for Canada in that game.  Joakim Kemell paced Finland with a goal and an assist.

Canada and Finland have met 40 times since the first World Junior Hockey Championship in 1977.  The Canadians have a healthy 25-9-6 (W-L-T) record and have outscored the Finns 160-103 over that span.  In the last decade, the teams have met twice in the quarterfinals (2016, 2019), twice in the semifinals (2014, 2020) and once in the bronze medal game (2012).  This is their first meeting ever in the gold medal game.

Team Canada

Canada continued to roll through the tournament with their win over Czechia in the semifinals on Friday.  Kent Johnson had a big game with a goal and two assists, while Logan Stankoven, Connor Bedard, Joshua Roy and McTavish also scored.  Zellweger added three helpers and Dylan Garand made 30 saves.  McTavish, the Canadian captain, has been a major factor for Canada and leads the tournament in points (15), goals (8) and plus/minus (plus-14).

Canada’s power-play has been the difference-maker in this tournament.  They capitalized on two of three man-advantage opportunities in the semifinals and they lead the tournament with a 57.1 per cent success rate (8-for-14).  The only concern is that Finland has also been lethal with the man-advantage.  The Finns, who scored their only goal of the semi’s on the power-play, are clicking at 53.9 per cent rate (14-for-26).  With Canada taking the third-most penalties in the tournament, discipline will be key in the gold medal game.

Team Finland

Kasper Puutio’s power-play goal was the only puck to find the back of the net in the Finland-Sweden semifinal as the Finns look for their first World Junior gold medal since 2019.  Kemell, the team’s leading scorer, was held pointless for the first time in the tournament.  He leads the tournament with eight assists and he’s second in points with 11.  Finland killed off both penalties they took in the game, but they still have the worst penalty-kill mark in the tournament at 50 per cent (6-for-12).  Like Canada, the. key for Finland will be discipline.

Juha Jatkola pitched a 23-save shutout in the semifinals, which is a bold move by Finnish coach Antti Pennanen considering Jatkola is technically the backup.  It’s unclear if Leevi Merilainen, the original No. 1 option in net, will start against Canada.  It will certainly be a tougher call after Jatkola’s shutout performance.  Leevi has posted a 2.70 goals-against average and .893 SV through four games.  Jatkola, who has won both his starts, has a 1.50 GAA and .923 SV.

Canada vs. Finland WJC Gold Medal Final Score Prediction

Canada 5, Finland 4