Canada vs China: The Maple Leafs to defeat China for the second time in three days

The day before, Canada thrashed China 5-0. Will Ivano Zanatta's men be able to put the home team through a bit more trouble now? We predict that the Maple Leafs will win comfortably again!

Canada

Team Canada was a bronze medalist at the last Olympics in Pyeongchang. The current Maple Leafs' squad looks much stronger and more diverse. The Canadians displayed it all from the first meeting in Beijing when by the tenth minute of the first period, they crushed the Germans - 3:0 and then sealed their victory - 5:1. It seemed that Canadians would also be favorites in the game with the USA team, but in fact, they were defeated - 2:4, although Claude Julien's wards had numerous chances to playback. In the third game, the Maple Leafs beat China 5-0, finishing second in the Group A standings.

China

The Chinese national team is competing at the Olympics for the first time in their history as hosts. Alas, this team has never played even in the world championships in the elite division, and it is unlikely they will play in the foreseeable future, too modest a level. Ivano Zanatta's charges played their main game in Beijing against Germany, in which they even managed to score their first puck in such a major tournament, although they lost 2:3. Against the USA and Canada, they had no chance to succeed, but at least the Chinese managed to avoid double-digit losses, 0:8 and 0:5 respectively, and in the final game at the 2022 Olympics, they will play one more time against the Maple Leafs.

History of head-to-head encounters

The first and only head-to-head encounter between Canada and China took place at the previous group stage of the Beijing Olympics. The Maple Leafs were confidently victorious then, 5-0.

Expert Betting Tips

Canada and China are completely different teams, which was on display the day before when Claude Julien's men crushed the hosts 5-0. Of course, that victory could have been even bigger and more convincing, but there will be another game in which the Maple Leafs will have a few pucks in store for them. The qualifying game is a great way for Canadians to keep the competition alive before the quarterfinals. However, it still does not prevent them from winning big, and you can bet on a Canadian victory with a handicap (-4.5) for 1.70.

Unfortunately, the Chinese team still can't prove their mettle offensively against such powerful opponents as Canada and the USA. In both games against the North American teams, the Chinese were held to zero in the goalscoring column. The Chinese team did send two goals against the Germans, but Germany produced a very unimpressive display in Beijing. Now, one should not expect great things from the hosts of the Olympics in the attack. Although they will try to leave a worthy impression in their last game at the tournament, the best option is Individual Total 2 Under 1 puck for 1.63.

Eric Staal is the most experienced and well-known hockey player on the Canadian team. During his long career, he has played for Carolina, Rangers, Minnesota, Buffalo, and even played in the Stanley Cup finals but finished his career in the world's strongest league. This did not prevent him from being enrolled in the Olympics, where he has recorded only two assistants, but before the tournament in Beijing, he played four games in the AHL, where he scored 5 points (2 goals + 3 assists). The 37-year-old forward will need to regain confidence before the crucial games, so we suggest taking Erik Staal's Total Over 1.5-points for 1.85.