Canada vs. Czechia Prediction & Best Bets: Olympic Men's Hockey Preview

I'm backing Jon Cooper's team to win by three goals in a somewhat low-scoring affair in my Canada vs. Czechia prediction and best bets for Thursday's opener (10:40 a.m. ET, CBC).

Canada is the -530 moneyline betting favorite to start the men's Olympic hockey tournament with a victory. We'll see how quickly both teams gel, and whether Czechia netminder Lukas Dostal can keep the Olympic hockey odds favorites at bay. I've also featured a Nathan MacKinnon player prop. 

🏒 Canada vs. Czechia prediction: Olympic men's hockey

Our expert Olympic hockey picks are based on the latest betting odds at the best sports betting sites.

💰 Canada vs. Czechia best bet: Under 6.5 (-122)

It will take some time for Canada to reach top gear, and I expect Czechia to put up a valiant fight in the opener. Czechia has several Grade A NHL players, along with a core that is seasoned at the international level.

But most importantly, they have a goaltender I expect will stand on his head. Dostal has been at the peak of his powers for the Anaheim Ducks, sporting an 8-1-0 record in his last nine starts.

Dostal won't get the offensive support he requires, though, as there is a Grand Canyon-size drop-off in quality after David Pastrnak, Martin Necas, and Thomas Hertl. 

Score prediction: Canada 4, Czechia 1 

🔥 Best Canada vs. Czechia prop bet: Nathan MacKinnon anytime goal (+140)

MacKinnon is not only the NHL's leading goal scorer, but he was the MVP at the 4 Nations Face-Off and is the Hart Trophy odds favorite. He doesn't enter the Olympics in the best form, scoring just two goals in the previous eight games.  

However, the cure for what ails him awaits in Canada's locker room, as he'll join forces with the best forwards in the world. He has 40 goals in 55 games with the Colorado Avalanche. 

📊 How many Czechia players are in the NHL?

Czechia has 12 players in the NHL, three of whom are goaltenders (Dostal, Karel Vejmelka, and Dan Vladar). 

Defensemen David Spacek (Minnesota Wild), Filip Hronek (Vancouver Canucks), and Radko Gudas comprise the team's three NHL blue-liners, while their NHL forward contingent consists of the following:

David Pastrnak (Boston Bruins), Ondrej Palat (New York Islanders), Martin Necas (Colorado Avalanche), David Kampf (Canucks), Hertl (Vegas Golden Knights), and Radek Faksa (Dallas Stars). Cc

👊 Who are Czechia's X-Factors? 

Pastrnak and Necas are Czechia's headliners, with the former scoring 30 points in his last 17 games with the Bruins. That's tied for the second-most with Mark Stone since Dec. 31, 12 points behind the absurdly prolific Nikita Kucherov. 

While Pastrnak is inarguably the team's most formidable offensive player, Dostal is the player who can make the biggest difference at the Olympics. He has the Ducks in a wild-card position, something few thought possible before the NHL season started.

I covered him in more detail in my most recent Olympic hockey odds piece. 

📺 How to watch Canada vs. Czechia 

• Date: Thursday, Feb. 12
• Puck drop: 10:40 a.m. ET
• Location: Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena (Milan, Italy)
• TV: CBC, CBC Gem, USA Network