Finland vs. Switzerland Olympic Women's Hockey Picks: Bronze Medal Game Set for Wednesday

Amid all the discussion complaining about the dominance of Canada and USA in women’s hockey at the Olympics, the bronze medal matchup is set between Switzerland and Finland. Here is a closer look at the battle for third place with our Finland-Switzerland picks.

With a women’s division that has always been dominated by Canada and USA, Finland was considered the closest contender to those powerhouse teams. However, both Finland and Switzerland had to overcome slow starts before rounding into form later in the tournament.

Perhaps it should not be surprising that Finland started slowly, considering it played USA and Canada in its first two games, losing 5-2 and 11-1, respectively. That was followed by a 3-2 loss to Switzerland, but Finland outshot the Swiss 40-21 in that contest. Finland rallied, with a 5-0 win over the ROC and a 7-1 win against Japan to earn a semifinal matchup with USA that resulted in a 4-1 loss.

Switzerland does not have the same kind of depth as Finland, but it has had some good moments at these Olympics, earning a shot to play for a medal, even if it is a substantial underdog. Switzerland lost 12-1 to Canada, 5-2 to the ROC, and 8-0 to the USA before its 3-2 win over Finland followed by a 4-2 win against the ROC, setting up a semifinal matchup against Canada. That resulted in a 10-3 loss for Switzerland but sends it to a medal matchup against Finland. 

Here are my Finland-Switzerland picks and predictions for Wednesday’s Olympic women's hockey bronze medal game (pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Finland vs. Switzerland Game Info

Date/Time: Wednesday, Feb. 16, 6:30 a.m. ETTV: nbcolympics.com, Peacock, CBC GemLocation: Wukesong Sports Centre, Beijing, China

Finland vs. Switzerland Odds Analysis

Finland is a prohibitive favorite in this game. While the moneyline might vary, from -715 to as low as -909.  That leaves prices for Switzerland on the moneyline between +480 to +520. That is a significant price for a team that won the head-to-head matchup earlier in this tournament.

Finland vs. Switzerland Picks

Switzerland +2.5 (-114) ????Under 5.5 (-142) ???

Check out our top-rated sportsbooks here

Finland vs. Switzerland Predictions

Switzerland +2.5 (-114)

The progress of a women’s hockey program can be seen in its depth of talent and that is what gives Finland an edge over Switzerland. Many of the players for Team Finland are veterans that have grown with the program and have been a part of the long-term development. That group is led by 34-year-old captain Jenni Hiirikoski and the blueliner is one of six Finns to record at least four points through six games at these Olympics.

Susanna Tapani is the team’s leading scorer with five goals. She has seven points, to tie with Petra Nieminen for the team lead. 

The Finns are backstopped by 24-year-old netminder Anni Keisala, who has shouldered the load in goal during the OIympics. That has meant facing a lot of shots against the powerhouse nations and Keisala stopped 85 of 94 shots in two games against the United States to keep those final scores respectable. 

Switzerland is practically a two-player team, at least when it comes to skaters. Alina Muller and Lara Stalder have combined for nine of Switzerland’s 13 goals in the Olympics. Muller is a 23-year-old senior at Northeastern University and leads Switzerland with 10 points through six games.

Stalder is the 27-year-old captain for Switzerland. She played at Minnesota-Duluth in college and has since been tearing up the Swedish league. She has nine points through six games this tournament.

Beyond those two, however, Switzerland lacks significant depth, which leaves it as the underdog.

Goaltender Andrea Brandli is a 24-year-old senior at Ohio State University and while she was lit up by a powerhouse Team Canada, she also stopped 38 of 40 shots in the 3-2 win against Finland. If Switzerland is going to pull off the upset, it will likely need its goaltender to come through.

At the very least, Switzerland can keep the game close.

Under 5.5 (-142)

Removing the Canada and USA games, which might tend to offer unsustainably high totals, Finland had a total of 18 goals in three other games. The same goes for Switzerland, which had a total of 18 goals in three games against opponents outside of Canada and USA.

Switzerland’s scoring is so heavily dependent on two players that there should be a path to Finland limiting its production.

Finland has more scoring depth, but Switzerland showed that it could grind out a low-scoring win earlier in the Olympics, so a tight, low-scoring game is a reasonable expectation again. I’m leaning to the Under.

SEE ALSO: All picks and odds. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.

Finland-Switzerland picks made 2/14/2022 at 3:55 pm. ET.