Welcome to Last Word On Hockey’s Olympic Predictions. Each day, our writers here at Last Word On Hockey look at the games and give in-depth analysis. Our team breaks down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then makes predictions based on how they might play out. For this edition, we will look at Team USA battling Team Germany in the Group C finale. Don’t forget to check out more Olympic Predictions, as our writers continue this series throughout the Olympics.
Winter Olympic Hockey Predictions
Denmark vs Latvia
International Head-to-Head Record: Series tied 8-8
Time: 1:10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST), 10:10 p.m. Pacific
How to Watch: In Canada: SN, CBC, CBC Gem, TSN
In the United States: USA Network, Peacock
We open up Olympics hockey predictions with the Group C finale for both Denmark and Latvia. The Danes gave Team USA all they could handle before losing, 6-3, on Saturday. Denmark led after the first period before the United States used another second-period surge to pull away.
Mads Sogaard got the start but had to leave the game due to an injury. Frederik Dichow came in to finish the game for Denmark. However, this seems like the perfect time to see Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen get the start to improve the Danes’ positioning for the qualification round.
Latvia got a nice bounce back win over Germany on Saturday to put itself in position to finish the preliminary round on a strong note. The Latvians hung with the Americans in the first period before a bad second period doomed them. However, Boston Bruins prospect Dans Locmelis potted a pair of goals in the 4-3 victory.
Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs played in the win over Germany and there could be a temptation to play him again. However, Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Elvis Merzlikins is ready and waiting in the wings.
This is a tough matchup, and Denmark threw everything it had at Team USA. However, Latvia should pick up its second straight win.
Prediction: Latvia wins 4-3.
