Denmark - Canada predictions and free betting tips [12/05/2024]

Today in the second round of the Ice Hockey World Championship in the Czech Republic, the national teams of Denmark and Canada will play.

Current form of Denmark team

The Danish team, although lacking the star-studded lineup compared to the top hockey powers, is successfully competing at a world level thanks to players from the leading European leagues - the Swedish Elitserien and the German DEL. In their last friendly match against Poland (3:1), the team played in their usual style, demonstrating solid defence and efficiency in attack, which allowed them to start the 2024 World Championship with a confident victory over Austria by a score of 5:1. In this game, the Danes were especially active, successfully capitalising on their moments even when disadvantaged, with forward Joachim Blichfeld from Växjö scoring 2 goals and making an assist.

Last year, Denmark took 5th place in their group at the World Championship, struggling to make the playoffs, but despite efforts, they could not overcome the group stage. However, at the 2022 Olympic Games, the team achieved excellent results, reaching the quarterfinals and defeating such strong opponents as the Czech Republic and Switzerland. These achievements confirm the growth in skill and competitiveness of the Danish team on the international arena.

The current tournament promises to be a challenge for Denmark, considering the presence of such strong teams as Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Finland and Canada in their group. The upcoming game against Canada will be a serious test for the team, and while the chances of victory seem slim, success in this match could significantly boost the team's morale and strengthen their position in the tournament table. Under the leadership of coach Mikael Gath, the Danes are looking forward to continuing their progression and possibly even improving on the results of previous years.

Current form of Canada team

The Canadian team successfully kicked off the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship, claiming a victory over the British team with a score of 4:2. In this match, young forward and the main hope of Canadian hockey, Connor Bedard, distinguished himself by participating in two of his team's goals, making a double in the third period, thereby enabling Canada to secure a challenging victory. Despite the match starting off evenly and the British putting up resistance, the Canadians managed to steer the match toward victory by the third period.

Canada, being a world champion, regularly demonstrates high results at world championships, despite often not arriving with a full lineup of NHL stars. In the last 8 World Championship tournaments, the Canadians reached the finals 7 times and won the gold four times, underlining their ability to achieve success even with a roster modest in names. At the WC-2024, Canada brought in a tough lineup with players like Dylan Cozens, Jared McCann, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor Bedard, which gives reason to expect high results.

At the initial stage of the tournament, despite the confident victory over the Great Britain, it was noticeable that the Canadians might have underestimated their opponent. This was especially evident in the first period, where the score was even, and in the third period, where the team allowed themselves to slow down their pace of play. However, Bedard's brilliant game and strategic advantage clinched the victory. The upcoming matches will show whether Canada can maintain its form and continue its path to defending the title.

Head to Head

The opponents have met 7 times in world championships and the Canadians have prevailed in 6 instances. However, last year Denmark sensationally beat Canada 3:2 in the group stage.

Match prediction - Denmark vs Canada

The Canadian roster does not suggest total dominance, especially against such a strong team as Denmark has been in recent years. Therefore, my prediction leans toward a handicap in favour of Denmark. I place the bet on Denmark's plus handicap.