Ice Hockey World Cup quarter-final, Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 4:20 p.m.
Getting into the hot phase of the 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship with the Merkur Bet bonus is a first-class choice.
How about using the bonus based on my USA Finland tips? The North Americans have an excellent chance of reaching the semifinals of this World Championship without too much drama.
USA vs. Finland – that sounds like great ice hockey entertainment. Two nations that have always respected each other at World Championships for decades and regularly cross paths in the knockout rounds.
While the Finns scraped their way into the quarterfinals, the US team catapulted themselves into the circle of favorites with their statement victory over world champions Czech Republic.
The 5-2 win over the Czechs showed what is possible when the Americans bring their power to the ice. Disciplined defense, a versatile offense, a convincing special teams performance, and NHL caliber players like Johnny Gaudreau and Frank Nazar in every line.
If Team USA can maintain this level of performance, then a semifinal ticket against Finland is definitely within reach – and maybe even more!
The Finns are a completely different story. The team seems like a shadow of its former self. Between 2019 and 2022, they collected titles like other people collect stamps: gold at the 2019 World Championships, silver in 2021, gold at the Olympics and World Championships in 2022 – an era that is unparalleled.
But recently, the shine has worn off. Seventh and eighth place in the last two World Championships. That’s their worst record in over 30 years. There’s no real momentum to be seen in this tournament either.
The narrow 2-1 victory against Slovakia was telling: too little pace, too little drive toward the goal, too much idling in the build-up. The defense is reasonably stable, but there is a lack of punch up front.
And that’s not surprising when you consider that many of the best Finnish players are not even in the squad due to the NHL playoffs.
Names like Barkov, Rantanen, and Heiskanen are nowhere to be found. Instead, hopes are pinned on players like Teuvo Teravainen, Mikko Lehtonen, and Juuso Parssinen. They’re not bad players, but they’re not difference makers against a top team like the US.
There is also a shake-up underway on the bench: Jukka Jalonen, the successful coach of the golden years, has already announced his retirement and will soon take over Italy.
Now there is a new man on the bench in Antti Pennanen, who knows the team well but has little experience at this level.
The team is solidly built, with players from the NHL, the Liiga, the SHL, and the Swiss league. But it lacks the big picture, the belief in the title that once seemed to drive every Finn on the ice.
The USA, on the other hand, has a clear goal in mind. They don’t just want to reach the semifinals – they want to win this tournament.
They know that the current constellation of many strong NHL players at world-class level is rare because it often clashes with the playoffs. But this time they are all there – and the Stars & Stripes are taking advantage of that.
Incidentally, the Americans already defeated a much better Finnish team 6-1 in the NHL 4 Nations Faceoff in February. Why should that change fundamentally on Thursday?
The USA Finland odds are currently around 1.80 for a US victory in regular time. For me, this is a clear value tip, as the USA are very solid in attack and have the potential to steer the game in the right direction early on.
If you’re betting on goals, you should also take a look at the “USA over 3.5 goals” bet. It’s currently available at odds of over 2.45. I find this absolutely appealing, because the Finnish defense has shown some weakness in the past and is not the bulwark it was in previous years.
For more cautious, we recommend “USA to advance,” which, at odds of around 1.50, is not spectacular but is solidly backed up – this includes extra time and penalty shootouts, which can be a sensible hedge in knockout mode.
Those who are feeling brave can go for a combination bet: a bet on “USA to win + over 5.5 goals” will give you odds of over 3.00 – this is particularly worthwhile if you expect an attacking game and the Finns have to play early on.
Another exciting option is to take a look at the player bets. If US stars such as Cooley or Gauthier are in top form, over bets on their points or goals are a good option. In a game like this, with an open exchange of blows, individual moments of brilliance can make all the difference.
So if you’re looking for value, you’ll find worthwhile options in several markets for the USA.
My tip: The USA will prevail in regular time – 4:1 or 5:2 would be realistic scenarios.
Finland is no pushover, but they are not currently on the same level. The North Americans should therefore prevail without any major problems and secure their ticket to the semifinals.
My tip: USA win with HC -1
