Canada vs. Switzerland Prediction & Best Bets: Olympic Women's Hockey Semifinal Preview
The defending Olympic champions aim to make an eighth straight final, and my Canada vs. Switzerland prediction and best bets expect them to do precisely that.
Canada is the behemoth -8000 moneyline betting favorite to advance to the showcase final. While nothing is guaranteed in sports, those odds carry a 98.77% implied probability. The pressing question is how Canada will advance to the final. I'm backing the perennial gold-medal threats to win by at least five goals, thanks in part to a record-setting Marie-Philip Poulin goal.
🏒 Canada vs. Switzerland prediction: Olympic women's hockey semifinal
Our expert Olympic hockey picks are based on the latest betting odds at the best sports betting sites.
| Bet type | Bet | Best odds | Confidence | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puck line bet | Canada -4.5 | -114 via FanDuel | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 1u |
| Total | Over 6.5 | -120 via BetMGM | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 1u |
| Player prop | Marie-Philip Poulin anytime goal | -115 via BetMGM | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 0.5u |
💰 Canada vs. Switzerland best bet: Canada -4.5 (-114)
Canada's 4-0 win over Monday's semifinal opponents in its tournament opener flattered Switzerland. Canada didn't score the opening goal until just past the seven-minute mark of the second period. Switzerland's impressive bend-don't-break resistance was primarily due to goaltender Saskia Maurer’s outstanding play.
She made 51 saves on 55 shots, finishing with a 0.927 save percentage. That's a ton of pressure to withstand, and while I have no doubt Maurer will again stand on her head, I'm more confident Canada will break the damn earlier and be more ruthless this time around.
Score prediction: Canada 6, Switzerland 1
🔥 Best Canada vs. Switzerland prop bet: Marie-Philip Poulin anytime goal (-115)
In her return to the lineup, Poulin scored a goal in the quarterfinal win over Germany despite playing just 13 minutes. It was her first of these Olympics, so there has to be more to come from Canada's captain, right?
Poulin comes to life on the world's biggest stage, and there's only one more prominent and important stage than the semifinals. Against Germany, she didn't appear fazed by missing the better part of three games.
Even so, Poulin will feel more confident and sharper in her second game back from injury, and that's bad news for an under-matched Switzerland side. I'd play this bet to -130.
🇨🇦 Will Marie-Philip Poulin make Olympic history today?
Poulin scored her 18th Olympic goal against Germany in the quarterfinal, tying compatriot Hayley Wickenheiser's all-time Olympic goals record. One more goal would mean she will stand alone as the most prolific goal scorer at the Olympics on the women's side.
She has 18 goals in 25 Olympic contests, scoring at a .72 goals-per-game clip. And what better opportunity to set the record than against a team that allowed 12 goals in three preliminary round games? She will also likely play alongside a new-look first line with Sarah Fillier and Daryl Watts, another reason she should score.
She'll want to set the record in the semis, not only to help Canada win but also to take the added pressure off of achieving it in the final against, presumably, Team USA, currently the best team in the world.
📺 How to watch Canada vs. Switzerland
- Date: Monday, Feb. 14
- Puck drop: 3:10 p.m. ET
- Location: Milano Santagiulia Arena (Milan, Italy)
- TV: CBC Gem
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