Published Feb 19, 3:35am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Feb 19, 3:35am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Feb 19, 3:35am ET
Two wins are all that will be required for Team USA to make national history at the Winter Olympics. That begins with a semi-final encounter against a talented Slovakia on Feb 20.
The USA managed to maintain their 100% record in the competition on Wednesday, but they were forced into overtime for the first time in the tournament by a gritty Sweden.
Slovakia have been one of the surprise packages at the Olympics, and they could have serious hopes of an Olympic medal due their dazzling offensive quality.
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|
|---|---|
| USA | -1100 |
| Slovakia | +700 |
Mike Sullivan’s USA are within two victories of making history, as the team chase a first gold medal in ice hockey since 1980.
The USA needed to show more than just quality in their recent quarterfinal against Sweden, as they were forced to raise their game to battle against a physical rival. Ultimately, Quinn Hughes was the hero in Milan, scoring the overtime winner to keep U.S. dreams alive.
The USA led after Mika Zibanejad’s goal, but they were made to pay for not finishing off the game when Sweden levelled in the final minute of the third period. Morale should be at an all-time high following the dramatic nature of the win.
Vladimir Orszagh’s Slovakia should be respected by the U.S. this week, as they have shown excellent quality in their bid to improve on the bronze medal that was won at the 2022 Olympics.
The European nation was at their clinical best in the quarterfinals, powering to a 6-2 win over Germany with minimal fuss.
Pavol Regenda was a standout performer in the knockout game, scoring twice and registering one assist. Further goals in the success were added by Oliver Okuliar and Dalibor Dvorsky.
| TOTAL | USA | Slovakia | DRAWS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WINS | 23 | 11 | 11 | - |
| GOALS | 121 | 68 | 53 |
A sixth Olympic meeting between the nations could give the U.S. a fourth win at the Games over Slovakia. The European nation should have the ability to push the Americans deep into the game, but the talent within the U.S. roster should ultimately be capable of making the difference.
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Pick
USA
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