Ice Hockey World Championship, Quarterfinals on Thursday, 28.05.2026, 16:20
The quarter-finals begin with the Olympic cracker, which was the highlight of the Milano-Cortina Games just a few months ago. However, the new edition in Zurich will probably not be quite as balanced.
The Americans have improved over the course of the tournament, there is no doubt about that. However, I still don’t deviate a hand’s breadth from the side of the maple leaves in my Canada USA tip!
I will put the selection Win Canada with HC -1 at odds of about 1.56 to the test in exactly this form at a verified sports betting provider. The motherland of ice hockey is hungry for revenge and has nominated more quality in terms of squad.
In addition to a Canada USA tip on the outcome of the game, I am also pursuing another betting approach that I think is at least as promising. I’m eyeing the goal market!
The Canadians, on the other hand, have scored 5+ goals in five of seven World Cup games in Zurich and should let it rip this time as well. I’m not fooled by the rather restrained performance against the Czech Republic – it rather seemed as if the Maple Leaves had deliberately spared their strength.
As far as player bets are concerned, there are two games that I would play and even put on the same bet slip – but let’s go in order.
On the Canadian side, of course, Celebrini meets at odds of about 2.20 is my very first choice. The greatest ice hockey talent of his generation was already considered a possible top scorer at the beginning of the tournament and is still in the running in this regard!
With 4 goals already, he has shown more than just good approaches and as a center of the front row, flanked by Cozens and Crosby, he should enjoy several great finishing opportunities against the rival.
What Macklin Celebrini embodies on the Canadian side is Matthew Tkachuk in the US team, who has noticeably given structure and leadership to the talented but initially somewhat chaotic team since his arrival.
The Florida Panthers attacker still needed the rather tough opening game against Germany to find his own rhythm, but has since contributed significantly to the offensive momentum of the Americans.
The bet Tkachuk to score at odds around 3.40 therefore seems to me to be extremely interesting, especially since he was able to draw attention to himself in his last three World Cup games with one or two goals scored.
If you look at the direct comparison with your Canada USA tip, you are also dealing with what is probably the most prestigious pairing in international ice hockey.
The Olympic game of the century, which the US boys won in extra time, represents the climax of this rivalry for the time being.
The fact that three of the last four direct duels were decided in overtime underlines the enormous balance of this pairing.
However, the United States is not competing with its best line-up this time!
Conclusion: I expect an intensely fought game in which both sides give each other nothing. However, in the course of the game, Cooley or Woll should slip through one or the other puck.
Both US goalies have not been very convincing at this World Cup and in view of the massive pressure that the Maple Leafs can exert offensively, it is therefore only a matter of time before glaring blunders will creep in again.
