Slovakia - Kazakhstan predictions and free betting tips [12/05/2024]

Slovakia and Kazakhstan will go head to head tomorrow in their second group stage match of the Hockey World Championship in the Czech Republic.

Current form of the Slovakian national team

The Slovakian national team does not consistently emerge as favourites in the World Hockey Championships and has shown variable results in recent tournaments. In the past few years, Slovakia has managed to make it to the play-offs twice out of three participations, however, both times their progress was halted by the formidable Finnish team. In the ongoing World Championship absent of players from the Kontinental Hockey League due to understandable circumstances, Slovakia relies on its representatives from European leagues and the National Hockey League. This novelty is particularly felt in the goalie position, where key figures like Spartak's Patrik Rybar and Torpedo's Adam Huska are absent.

The debut match at the 2024 World Championship against Germany ended in disappointment for Slovakia with a 4:6 score. Despite a significant shot on goal advantage (39 to 22), the Slovak team could not hold their defence, allowing the Germans to capitalise and net six goals. Creditable performances were shown from Marek Hrivik and Juraj Slafkovsky, who tried to change the course of the game, but the Slovaks lacked the coordination to withstand the counterattacks of their opponent.

In recent years, Slovakia has tried to improve its performance on the world stage, banking on young and talented players like Juraj Slafkovsky, the first pick of the 2022 NHL draft. Despite the unfortunate start to the 2024 World Championship, the team displays potential for strong play, especially in attack, thanks to the contribution of experienced NHL players.

Current form of the Kazakh national team

Team Kazakhstan got off to a successful start at the 2024 Hockey World Championship, securing a victory over Team France with a score of 3:1. In this match, the Kazakhs demonstrated resilience by recovering from an early goal conceded just 2 minutes into the game. However, the team quickly restored balance by scoring a goal, then securing a 2-goal advantage into the third period. Kirill Savitskiy added a goal and an assist.

Despite not boasting a particularly strong roster compared to the leading hockey powers, the Kazakhstan team continues to surprise on the international stage. The team is rarely considered a serious contender to make it out of the group, but its successes in recent years, including wins against teams like Slovakia and Slovenia, show potential for surprises. The majority of the Kazakhstan team players represent the Kontinental Hockey League and the local championship, providing the team with good coordination and understanding of the game.

This strong start to the tournament has enabled Team Kazakhstan to claim third place in group B with 3 points. Starting the World Championship with a victory, Kazakhstan shows that they are prepared to fight to maintain their position in the elite of world hockey, despite the absence of NHL representatives in their lineup. This start gives the team confidence in the upcoming games and the opportunity to continue battling for a place in the next stage of the tournament.

Head-to-Head 

The past confrontations between Kazakhstan and Slovakia at the World Hockey Championships have yielded diverse results. In the most recent match in 2023, Kazakhstan claimed victory over Slovakia with a 4:3 shootout win. The previous year, Slovakia took revenge with the same 4:3 score. In 2012, Slovakia also triumphed with a 4:2 score. Moreover, in 2010, Slovakia demonstrated their superiority by thrashing Kazakhstan with a hefty 5:1 score.

Match Prediction: Slovakia - Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan should not lose dramatically to Slovakia, who are the clear favourites. Afterall, Kazakhstan has a well-coordinated core of KHL players and should be able to maintain a handicap of 3 goals.