Austria - Denmark predictions and free betting tips [11/05/2024]

The national teams of Austria and Denmark are set for today's clash in the first round of the group stage at the Ice Hockey World Championships in the Czech Republic.

Current form of the Austrian team

The Austrian team continues to compete in the highest division of the World Hockey Championship, facing significant challenges to maintain their spot in the elite sector. Last year, the team gathered only three points, finishing 7th in Group A. A key point that saved the Austrians from relegation was a victorious performance in the defining match against Hungary, ending in a 4:3 victory in a shootout. Thus, Austria just slightly surpassed Hungary, who also accumulated three points but was expelled from the tournament following the loss in the head-to-head match. In the current championship in the Czech Republic, the main scoring hopes rest on Minnesota Wild forward Marco Rossi. In the current NHL season, he has collected 40 points in 82 games, demonstrating high productivity. His game will be a vital cog in Austria’s approach, as the attack strategy is planned around his actions.  Austria's results at the last championship left room for improvement, the team suffered four losses in the last five games, including defeats from Czech Republic by scores of 1:5 and 2:3, Germany – 2:4 and Canada - 1:5. The only success was a 2:1 win over Germany. The combined score of pucks scored and conceded was 11:27, which underscores the team's challenges in both defense and offense.

Current form of the Danish team

At last year's Ice Hockey World Championships, the Danish team completed their group stages in the 5th position in Group A, earning eight points. The Danes played seven matches in which they netted 19 goals and conceded 26. The squad managed to secure three victories, including a robust win against Austria with a score of 6:2, and two wins against Norway and Poland, both with a 3:1 margin. However, the Danes also suffered three losses to Norway with scores of 2:3, 3:4 and 1:2. Fischtown Pinguins' AHL player Phillip Bruggisser has been one of the key players at this tournament, accumulating 37 points in the current season. Another significant player is Alexander True, who had a season in the American Hockey League with Charlotte, where he tallied 19 points. The team also lost their last four games at the World Championship in regulation time, indicating some difficulties in their play.  The Danish national team is comprised of experienced players, many of whom are over 30, including veterans like Morten Poulsen, Frederik Storm, Oliver Lauridsen and Nicklas Jensen. They remain serious competitors on the international scene. This experience helps the Danish team to keep afloat in the top division and occasionally put up a substantial fight against tournament leaders.

Head-to-head

Of the last five head-to-head clashes, the Austrians have surprisingly pulled off three victories, two of them in regular time - 3:1 at the Deutschland Cup and 3:0 in a friendly match. Denmark was stronger in the last two matches, 6:2 at the 2023 World Championships and 6:1 at the Cup.

Predictions for the Austria - Denmark match

In terms of line-up, Denmark undoubtedly holds an advantage, and it is unlikely they will encounter many difficulties, as the Austrians are considerably lagging behind middle-tier teams of the first division.