Canada vs Finland 2020 IIHF World Juniors Semfinals Odds & Pick
- Canada and Finland will play in the World Junior Hockey Championship Semifinal
- Finland eliminated Canada in the Quarterfinal 2-1 in overtime last year
- The Fins have won three gold medals in the last six years and have emerged as a true hockey power
Canada and Finland meet in the World Junior Hockey Championship semifinals on Saturday. The winner will head to a Gold medal match up against either Sweden or Russia, while the loser will settle for a chance at a Bronze medal.
Canada vs Finland Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finland | +1.5 (-140) | +210 | Over 5.5 (-110) |
| Canada | -1.5 (+105) | -260 | Under 5.5 (-120) |
Odds taken Jan. 3
Canada is a traditional hockey power but Finland has actually been the more successful team at this tournament as of late. Over the last six years, Finland has three gold medals and the Canadians have two. The odds suggest the Canadians are sizable favorites and they really shouldn’t be. Here’s the quick case for why you should be taking the value with Finland to win this star-studded semifinal match up.
Both Teams Solid on Offense, Defense & Special Teams
To make it deep into this tournament you need to have a well-rounded team and both the Canadians and the Fins can lay claim to that. Looking at their stats and ranks, you see they have elite units across the board.
Finland vs Canada Stats
| 20 (3rd) | Goals | 23 (2nd) |
| 10 (3rd) | Goals Against | 14 (4th) |
| 30% (3rd) | PP Percentage | 44% (1st) |
| 86% (2nd) | PK Percentage | 74% (5th) |
Neither team has a true weakness when you look deeper into the stats. Finland has scored 10 more goals than they’ve allowed, while Canada is +9 in goal differential. Canada scores slightly more but they also give up more goals. Trying to find an edge between the team is tough to find and that makes the Finland moneyline intriguing.
Justus Annunen is a Name You Need to Know
Finland’s goalie in this tournament is Justus Annunen and he has been absolutely incredible. He’s sporting a 1.97 goals-against average and .936 save percentage in the tournament and it’s no fluke, his numbers with his club team are even better. The 19-year-old plays for Karpat in Finland and has a 1.26 goals against and .947 save percentage in 13 games this season. Annunen was drafted in the third round by Colorado in 2018 and is a goalie you should expect to see playing in the NHL before too long.
What a record for Justus Annunen! #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/mTMs284vTG
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 23, 2019
He’s an elite goalie that gives Finland an edge over Canada who actually switched starting goalies in this tournament and is now riding Joel Hofer. He was selected in the fourth round by the St. Louis Blues last year but his path to the NHL seems less of a sure thing than the 6’4 stud from Finland he’s facing in this semifinal.
Finland Offering Best Value
There are two ways you can you choose to bet Finland and I’d recommend you go with one of them. Take them on the puck line and they can lose by a goal and you still walk away a winner. The price of -140 on that isn’t too much to swallow when you consider their 3-2 record against Canada in the last five matchups. If you’re feeling aggressive, take the Fins on the money line and hope they pull an upset just like they did in overtime last year in the quarterfinal.
Pick: Finland Money Line (+210)
Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
