Slovakia vs. Germany Prediction & Odds: Olympic Men's Hockey Quarterfinal Preview
Slovakia takes on Germany on Wednesday in the knockout round of the Olympic men's hockey tournament in what I expect to be the most tightly contested game of the quarterfinals.
My Slovakia vs. Germany prediction backs the Slovaks to get past the Germans while offering my score prediction and favorite player prop bet for the matchup. Puck drop is at 6:10 a.m. ET on Wednesday from Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (CBC Gem, Peacock), with Germany a slight -118 betting favorite.
🏒 Slovakia vs. Germany picks & odds: Feb. 18
Our expert Olympic hockey picks are based on the latest betting odds at the best sports betting sites.
| Bet type | Prediction | Units | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game prediction | Slovakia to win (-102) | 1u -> 0.98u | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Over/Under total | Over 6.5 (+125) | 0.5u -> 0.625u | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Player prop bet | Leon Draisaitl anytime goal (+120) | 1u -> 1.2u | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Total wagered: 2.5 units | Max profit: 2.8 units
💰 Slovakia vs. Germany prediction & best bet
Slovakia to win (-102)
Slovakia has been the breakout team of the Olympics, going 2-1 in the preliminary round and scoring at least three goals in every game to win a difficult group over Finland and Sweden. They've proven that their bronze medal performance at the 2022 Games was no fluke, led by Juraj Slafkovsky and his 10 career Olympic goals.
The top-end talent is there for Germany, but the depth has proven to be as shallow as expected. Despite that, BetMGM has Slovakia as a slight underdog (-102), so I'm heading there to place my bet. I'd even play this up to -120.
Score prediction: Slovakia 4, Germany 3
🔥 Best Slovakia vs. Germany player prop bet
Leon Draisaitl anytime goal (+120)
The Germans can't rely on their entire squad to outmatch a deeper and more rested Slovakian squad. They can't hang around in this contest without a huge performance from Leon Draisaitl, and he knows that. With his team's life in this tournament on the line, the captain isn't going to defer to others often in the quarterfinal.
He already ranks second in the tournament in shots, and after tallying his second goal of the tournament against France on Tuesday, he'll light the lamp again here. The best price for a Draisaitl anytime goal is at FanDuel (+120), though I'd play this to -100.
💡 How I'm betting Slovakia vs. Germany
I decided to bet 2.5 units from my bankroll for this matchup based on my confidence level for the three wagers.
The Over/Under bet is where I only laid 0.5u on the line, given that the total for this matchup is more difficult to project. While Slovakia held Finland to one goal in a shocker in the tournament opener, they haven't been quite as stingy since. Meanwhile, three straight Germany games have featured at least six goals, but we have to be prepared for their offense to potentially taper off in their third game in four days.
📺 How to watch Slovakia vs. Germany
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 18
- Puck drop: 6:10 a.m. ET
- Location: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (Milan, Italy)
- TV: CBC Gem, Peacock
🗓️ Olympic men's hockey schedule
Quarterfinal matchups (Wednesday)
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Slovakia vs. Germany | 6:10 a.m. |
| Canada vs. Czechia | 10:40 a.m. |
| Finland vs. Switzerland | 12:10 p.m. |
| United States vs. Sweden/Latvia | 3:10 p.m. |
Semifinal matchups (Friday)
| Matchup | Time (ET) |
|---|---|
| Top-seeded quarterfinal winner vs. lowest-seeded quarterfinal winner | TBD |
| No. 2-seeded quarterfinal winner vs. No. 3-seeded quarterfinal winner | TBD |
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