It’s down to the last match in the preliminary round of the Olympic Men’s Hockey tournament. Team USA needs one more win to clinch the top spot in Group C after beating Denmark on Saturday. After a disappointing loss to Latvia, Germany hopes to sneak into a bye with an upset win.
Team USA enters an -800 moneyline favorite to win this one, and the puck line is set at 3.5 goals on DraftKings Sportsbook. If you think the Germans can pull off an upset, they’re priced at +550. The total is set at 6.5 goals.
Let’s dig into a preview and pick for this Group C matchup.
Germany vs. USA preview
Team USA sure faced a scare on Saturday. Denmark put up a great fight, taking a first-period lead and keeping the game within one goal until the third period. Final frame goals by Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes sealed the deal, but this was a lesson that the team cannot skate by on talent alone. They need to clean up the defense, and that kind of performance from goalkeeper Jeremy Swayman would sink them against a contender like Canada, Finland, or Sweden.
The good news for the Red, White, and Blue is that Jack Eichel continues to perform like the top-liner that he is. The Hughes brothers, Quinn and Jack, are pulling their weight. Brock Nelson has provided an important veteran hand for their forward group. The bones of a great team are there, and it speaks to their talent that they are 2-0-0 while not playing their best. Team Germany will perhaps pose their toughest test yet.
Germany sure has the top-end talent. Leon Draisaitl is a yearly threat for the Hart Trophy in the NHL, Tim Stutzle has proven himself capable of top-line shifts, and Moritz Seider is an excellent offensive defenseman. But the lack of depth is an issue for this team; Draisaitl and Stutzle have scored four of their six goals, showing that the gap between their top talent and the rest of the roster is immense. Still, when you have elite danger men, you’re a force to be reckoned with.
So, can Team USA put the clamps on Germany’s top talents? Or will the Germans put a scare into the Americans?
Germany vs. USA pick, best bet
A win for Team USA feels awfully likely. Those top lines can go toe-to-toe all they want, but the Germans will have a tough time when their second, third, and fourth lines are out there. Not to mention Germany’s defensemen, who are being tasked with containing some of the top scoring talents in the world after years in the KHL or European leagues. It seems like too tall a task.
The puck line for this one makes things difficult. But the Team USA offense is rolling thus far and can certainly score enough to cover this line. I expect Connor Hellebuyck back in the net after a disastrous showing by Jeremy Swayman, and he should put up a much better performance. Expect Team USA to clinch the top spot in Group C with a statement win.
