Olympia Men, Group C, Matchday 1 on Thursday, 12/02/2026, 21:00 CET
The United States of America has sent a really great squad to Milan, but that doesn’t have to mean that they will necessarily start the tournament with a 9-0 victory.
Although old and new bookmakers seem to suggest exactly this to you, I urge caution in my Latvia USA forecast. It is not without reason that I have clearly given preference to the selection Over 5.5 Goals & Both Goals at odds of currently 1.70 on my betting slip.
After all, the North Americans have packed enough offensive potential to soften the two NHL goalkeepers of the Balts over 60 minutes. No one doubts that.
But with Teddy Blueger, Dans Locmelis and Zemgus Girgensons, the underdog himself also has enough quality in dealing with the disc to at least be able to score the honorary goal!
Right at the beginning of the tournament, I don’t expect the Americans to bring their full potential to the ice.
The team is first-class, but in this composition it will take a little time for the puck to run smoothly in their own ranks. There hasn’t been much opportunity for the star troupe to warm up so far!
1st goal: Latvia is therefore my preferred risk bet to capitalize on these expected teething problems. Because the ratio between stake and win is an impressive 1:4.
And if the Balts can annoy the favorites, then probably within the first 10 minutes of the game! Because in this time window their chances are simply greatest!
With a view to the different third markets, I have therefore decided on the bet 1st period: Win Latvia with handicap +1.5.
The Latvia-USA odds of about 1.53 are playable – and if the Balts can keep up, then definitely at the beginning. Only then will the offensive machinery and the high pace of the NHL superstars show a difference in class.
Teddy Blueger scores at odds around 6.00 is a bold player bet that is part of the Latvia USA AI forecast that we carried out internally and has convinced me enough as a betting inspiration to at least present it to you.
The Vancouver Canucks forward was injured in October, but has since attracted attention with some great performances in the NHL.
The center should therefore be on the ice for a long time and is the most dangerous Latvian for me anyway. If anything works for the underdog, it’s probably through him!
In terms of head-to-head duels, the United States last won in 2008 with a score as clear or even clearer as, say, a 4-0 win. Since then, the joint encounters at World Cups have almost always been even!
Of course, the U.S. squad for the Olympics is a much higher quality this time than at most other World Cup finals, which, as is well known, always overlap with the NHL playoffs.
Nevertheless, don’t expect a big victory at the beginning of the tournament. The USA will gradually improve from game to game! Talent is plentiful, but the practice is simply missing!
Conclusion: Latvia has nominated two first-class NHL goalies and is not quite as hopeless as even the best bookmakers with PayPal would have you believe at first.
The chances for a surprisingly balanced first half of the game are real, and that’s exactly what I’d like to speculate on. Only then will the strong superiority of the USA ensure that they will bag their mandatory victory.
In the end, I still expect relatively balanced results such as a 2:5 or even 3:6 – plus/minus one goal!
