It’s been an unpredictable World Juniors so far with some disappointing results for both Canada and the United States, but the two teams will look to regain momentum as they reignite their rivalry on New Year’s Eve.
While the United States lost to Finland in their last game, the Canadians have arguably shown even more chinks in their armor throughout the tournament. That’s why I’m taking the underdogs as my best bet in these United States vs. Canada WJC predictions for Tuesday, December 31.
United States vs. Canada Odds, Puck Line, Over/Under
Below is an odds breakdown of the game between Canada and the United States on Tuesday. Odds are provided by FanDuel Sportsbook, but are currently available across most hockey betting sites.
| Team | Puck Line | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | +1.5 (-258) | +110 | O 7 (+110) |
| Canada | -1.5 (+210) | -130 | U 7 (-130) |
United States vs. Canada Analysis
Canada bounced back from its shocking shootout loss to Latvia with a 3-0 win against Germany on Sunday, though it probably wasn’t the convincing victory they were hoping for considering the Americans beat the Germans 10-4 in their opening contest.
The Canadians outshot Germany by a modest count of 36-25 with Carter George earning his second shutout and Mathieu Cataford, Oliver Bonk, and Caden Price each finding the back of the net.
Canada’s lack of offence up front was a concern heading into the tournament and the team has not done much to dispel those worries thus far. The team’s opening 4-0 win over Finland was by far its best performance so far, but scoring just nine total goals through three games against lesser competition is unacceptable for a team that’s been touted as the favorite to win gold.
After cruising to two wins and scoring 15 goals through their first two games of the WJC, the United States suffered their first loss to Finland on Sunday as they fell 4-3 in overtime.
The Finns outshot the Americans 44-33 as Trey Augustine made 40 saves in the loss, while defenseman Cole Hutson found the scoresheet again with a goal.
Hutson has been a standout performer for the United States as he’s tied for a team-high six points through three games, though he racked up all five of his assists in the 10-4 win against Germany.
Outside of Hutson, the United States also boasts a dangerous top line consisting of a trio of Boston College products in James Hagens, Gabe Perreault, and Ryan Leonard. The line has already combined for five goals and 13 points, while the snake-bitten Canadians are led by Easton Cowan, who has just one goal and two assists.
United States vs. Canada Best Bet
While Canada came into the tournament as the gold medal favorite at +140 according to our WJC odds, the Canadians now sit at +275 due to their disappointing play, with the United States right behind at +300.
That’s pretty much in line with what we’ve seen so far as Canada has not separated itself as the clear favorite by any means. In fact, I think taking the United States as the underdog in this New Year’s clash could be a smart wager.
Canada holds the all-time edge in this WJC matchup with 34 wins in 49 meetings, including eight wins in their 12 games on New Year’s Eve. However, this version of Canada has left a lot to be desired, particularly on the offensive side of the puck.
No Canadian skater has more than one goal to their name thus far, while the team’s power play is operating at just 15.38 percent with two goals in 13 opportunities – the third-worst mark among the 10 nations.
The United States have also doubled Canada’s goal output in the tournament with 18 tallies through three games, so the Americans look to have the clear edge offensively.
If the Canadian team has one advantage, it’s on defence and in net. Canada owns the best goals-against average in the tournament at a stingy 0.97 thanks to two shutouts from Carter George. However, it’s more likely than not that head coach Dave Cameron will keep his rotation going and go back to Jack Ivankovic, who was in the net for Canada’s 3-2 shootout loss to Latvia.
With that said, I think the Americans simply have the more skilled, dynamic lineup as well as a higher level of confidence heading into the game.
