The NHL’s inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off shifts from Montreal to Boston on Monday with the late game of the doubleheader featuring Sweden against tournament favorite the United States, which is a heavy favorite on the hockey odds with a total of 5.5 goals. Note that the Americans have nothing to play for here as they clinched a spot in Thursday’s final – also in Boston – with Saturday’s 3-1 upset win over pre-tournament favorite Canada in Montreal. The Americans are heavy favorites on the NHL odds and MyBookie has the 4 Nations Face-Off NHL picks you need to get into the NHL action tonight and the rest of the tournament.
Looking to Bet On Your Sweden vs. USA Pick to Win the Next Game
When: Monday, 8 PM ET
Where: TD Garden, Boston
TV: TNT
Stream: TNT app
Opening 4 Nations Face-Off Lines: USA -188, Sweden +155 (total 5.5 goals)
Thinking of 4 Nations Face-Off NHL Picks for the Next Game?
The USA is atop the event standings with a perfect six points through two matches.
The Americans have now reached the playoff round in six of nine NHL international tournaments to date.
The USA has reached its third final in one of those after finishing as runner-up at the 1991 Canada Cup and winning the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
Sweden can only advance to the final with a win and some help in the earlier Canada-Finland game.
The Swedes have reached the playoff round in six consecutive NHL international tournaments dating to the 1984 Canada Cup.
Canada is the only other nation to accomplish the feat during that stretch.
But one of those streaks will end Monday – maybe both.
Sweden’s best finish at an NHL international tournament was runner-up at the 1984 Canada Cup, its only appearance in the final.
That year, the Swedes earned a spot in the tournament final after a 9-2 victory against the United States, thanks to a combined nine points between Kent Nilsson and Hakan Loob.
Sweden Needs Help To Advance
The Swedes have lost both of their games in this tournament by 4-3 scores in overtime – most recently Saturday in Montreal vs. Finland.
Instead of looking for teammates Aleksander Barkov or Niko Mikkola on a 3-on-1, the Finns’ Mikael Granlund opted to keep the pick and his shot from the right face-off circle found the back of the net 1:49 into overtime, and Finland stayed alive in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Anton Lundell, Mikko Rantanen and Barkov also scored for Finland (0-1-0-1), which trailed 3-2 in the second period.
Patrik Laine had two assists, and Kevin Lankinen made 21 saves in his first start after he was the backup to Juuse Saros in a 6-1 loss to the United States on Thursday.
Mika Zibanejad, Rasmus Dahlin and Erik Karlsson scored for Sweden (0-0-2-0).
Former Vezina winner Linus Ullmark took over in goal at the start of the second and made 15 saves in relief of Filip Gustavsson, who allowed two goals on four shots in the first period.
However, after the game, Sweden head coach Sam Hallam said that Gustavsson wasn’t replaced due to performance, but rather because the netminder is battling an illness.
The first goal came on a 2-on-1 as Lundell powered a shot through Gustavsson’s five-hole.
And the second came on a Finland power play when Rantanen buried a cross-ice feed from Laine.
Gustavsson, who plays with the Minnesota Wild, started between the pipes for Sweden in the team’s overtime loss to Canada last Wednesday.
In that game, he made 24 saves on 28 shots.
Ullmark stopped 15 of 17 shots in relief vs. Finland and probably starts here.
The only way Sweden advances to Thursday’s final is if the Canada-Finland game goes to at least overtime – it would not matter who won then – and it upsets the USA.
If that first game goes to OT/shootout and this one does too, Sweden can’t advance as an OT win does no good.
^4 Nations Face-Off Point Spreads Today provided by MyBookie
Could Americans Rest Hellebuyck?
The current MVP favorite for the United States is Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck as he has given up just one goal in each so far but he might get this game off considering it’s meaningless. In order to ensure the two-time Vezina winner is healthy for Thursday.
He stopped 25 saves in Saturday’s 3-1 upset win over Canada.
It was the United States’ first win against Canada in a best-on-best international tournament since the preliminary round of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics on Feb. 21, 2010.
U.S. forward Matthew Tkachuk fought Canada forward Brandon Hagel right after the opening faceoff with two seconds having come off the clock.
On the ensuing face-off, U.S. forward Brady Tkachuk, Matthew’s brother, did the same with Canada forward Sam Bennett after one more second ticked off.
After another faceoff and six seconds of play, J.T. Miller of the United States and Colton Parayko of Canada fought after a scrum by the U.S. net.
"I think the message we wanted to send is ‘It’s our time,’" Matthew Tkachuk said.
He has been arguably the USA’s best forward in this event but is in some question Monday with a lower-body injury.
Tkachuk had to leave in the third period because of it.
With nothing much to play for here, it may make sense for Coach Mike Sullivan to rest Tkachuk, who downplayed his injury after the game, saying he had “no concern at all.”
Jake Guentzel leads this tournament with three goals after two vs. Canada and is tied for the tournament lead with four points along with teammate and defenseman Zach Werenski.
“Yeah, I’m just obviously very fortunate to play on this stage and at this level,” Guentzel said.
“Obviously playing with some superstar linemates (center Auston Matthews and right wing Jack Hughes) to make it easy on myself but just try to be at my best at this moment.”
^4 Nations Full Of Close Games
Three of four games so far in the 4 Nations Face-Off have been comeback wins, including both USA victories (also Finland earlier Saturday).
In the 2024-25 regular season, 43% of games have been comeback wins, tied for the second-highest rate at this stage of a season in NHL history (behind 44% in 2018-19 and 2005-06).
This is the fifth time an NHL international tournament has had multiple games that needed overtime.
The others: 2016 World Cup of Hockey (3), 2004 World Cup of Hockey (2), 1996 World Cup of Hockey (2) and 1987 Canada Cup (2).
Saturday’s Finland-Sweden game was the first NHL international tournament game with three tying goals since Game 1 of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey final between Canada and the United States (3).
Each of Sweden’s last four NHL international tournament games have required overtime dating to their loss against North America in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey round robin.
Sweden has played in six of the 13 all-time NHL international tournament games that have required extra time, which marks the second-highest total among all teams behind Canada (eight).
Expert NHL Prediction: USA 4, Sweden 3
NHL Pick: USA
MyBookie | NHL Lines to Win
As the #4Nations moves from Montreal to Boston- here are the current standings:
— Just The Stats Sports (@stats_spor82763) February 16, 2025
🇺🇸 Team USA – 6 points*
🇨🇦 Team Canada – 2 points
🇸🇪Team Sweden -2 points
🇫🇮 Team Finland – 2 points
*USA clinched a spot in the Championship game.
Monday’s games:
Finland vs Canada
Sweden vs… pic.twitter.com/sNC6JyjwaH
Previous Betting News | MyBookie News Archive
Get Your 4 Nations Face-Off NHL Picks: Finland vs. United States Odds
Previous Betting News
The NHL’s inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off continues on Thursday night from Montreal with the United States taking the ice for the first time in the event and facing Finland. The Americans are heavy favorites on the NHL odds and MyBookie has the 4 Nations Face-Off NHL picks you need to get into the NHL action tonight and the rest of the tournament.
Looking to Bet On Your Finland vs. United States Pick to Win the Next Game
When: Thursday, 7 PM ET
Where: Bell Centre, Montreal
TV: TNT, truTV
Stream: Max
Opening 4 Nations Face-Off Lines: USA -340, Finland +270 (total 5.5)
4 Nations Face-Off Tournament Format
All games in the 4 Nations Face-Off are played via NHL rules as it’s only players from that league and not international rules like the Olympics – which the NHL will allow players to return to in 2026 in Italy.
NHL guys haven’t played in the Games since 2014. The USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden are in this.
Each team will play three tournament games in a round-round format, under the following points system: 3 points for a win in regulation time; 2 points for a win in overtime/shootout; 1 point for a loss in overtime/shootout; and 0 points for a loss in regulation time.
The two teams with the best tournament record will then advance to a one-game Final. That is next Thursday in Boston.
Why Bet on Finland?
The Finns will be without one of their best defenders for the tournament in Miro Heiskanen of the Dallas Stars. Heiskanen was injured in the third period of the Stars’ overtime victory over Vegas on Jan. 28 after taking a hit from Mark Stone, who fell toward Heiskanen’s left knee and thigh after getting tripped. He has 25 points this season with a plus-7 rating and might not return for Dallas until March.
One of Finland’s top forwards, Carolina Hurricanes right wing Mikko Rantanen, will play despite missing Carolina’s final game before the break with an injury. Across his first six contests with his new club, the 28-year-old has tallied one goal and one assist. During his first 49 games of the season in Colorado, he tallied 64 points (25 goals and 39 helpers).
The Finns have great depth at center and some of the best two-way forwards in the NHL. Stanley Cup champion and two-time Selke Award winner Barkov of the Florida Panthers will captain the team and be the undisputed No. 1 center. Rantanen and Arturri Lehkonen were linemates for the Avalanche and will flank Barkov on the top line.
The likely starting goaltender for the Finns on Thursday is Nashville’s Juuse Saros despite having one of his worst seasons. We last saw him allow six goals in a loss to Chicago on Feb. 7. Saros lost his fifth straight game for the Predators and is 11-23-6 with a 2.95 GAA and an .899 save percentage over 41 starts.
Perhaps it could be Vancouver’s Kevin Lankinen. He has posted a 2.53 GAA and .905 save percentage, with a 19-8-7 record with the Canucks. Lankinen made his Liiga debut in 2013-14 and played in Finland’s top professional league until 2017-18, when a 10-3-2 regular-season campaign helped him secure an NHL contract with Chicago.
This will be the eighth time that Finland participates in an NHL International Tournament, following four Canada Cup appearances and entries at all three World Cup of Hockey events. Finland has reached the playoff round in three of seven previous appearances, including one appearance in the final (runner-up at 2004 World Cup of Hockey).
A total of 5% of NHL players are Finnish, the seventh straight season in which that has been the case, and a total of 269 Finnish players have played at least one NHL game (regular season or playoffs), including 51 this season. The most Finnish players to skate in a single regular season is 63 (2021-22). Finland is one of two countries to produce multiple 600-goal scorers (Teemu Selanne: 684; Jari Kurri: 601), alongside Canada. Eight Finnish players have skated 1,000 career NHL regular-season games.
A Finnish player has landed among the top 10 in League scoring four times in the past six seasons, with Rantanen (2023-24, 2022-23 & 2020-21) and Barkov (2018-19) combining for those instances. It had happened only once in 17 seasons from 2000-01 to 2017-18 (Teemu Selanne: 2010-11).
The 2024 Stanley Cup champion Panthers had four Finnish players, the most by a Cup winner in league history. Barkov became the first Finnish player to captain a Stanley Cup champion.
Finland won two gold medals and made three straight appearances in the final at the World Championship from 2019 to 2022 (facing Canada each time).
Why Bet on USA?
This United States team might be the greatest collection of talent for the USA since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey when it was led by Pat LaFontaine, Brett Hull, Mike Modano and Keith Tkachuk. Now it’s Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Jack Hughes and the Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew, at forward. The defense is also stacked, led by former Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox and Zach Werenski — although the loss of the injured Quinn Hughes hurts.
Nine Americans lead a team in points this season (outright or tied), including Kyle Connor, Eichel, Jack and Werenski. Ten Americans pace a club in goals (outright or tied), including Jack Hughes, Dylan Larkin and Brady Tkachuk.
Hughes, 25, won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman last season and has been Vancouver’s most valuable player this season with 59 points (14 goals, 45 assists) in 47 games. He was replaced on Team USA by Ottawa defenseman Jake Sanderson. The 22-year-old is in his third NHL season and has 35 points in 55 games for the Senators.
The USA appears to have the best goaltending ground in the tournament led by two-time Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck of Winnipeg, who is the massive betting favorite to win a third this season. The 31-year-old leads the NHL in wins (34), save percentage (.925, minimum 20 games) and goals-against average (2.06, minimum 20 games).
He comes into the 4 Nations Face-Off having won six games in a row, and since the calendar turned to January he’s 10-2-1 with a .913 save percentage and 2.22 GAA in 13 games. United States coach Mike Sullivan said earlier this week has decided who will start Thursday but hasn’t said yet. Hellebuyck has represented the United States at three World Championships (2017, 2015 & 2014) and was part of Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
“He’s so big (6-foot-4, 207 pounds) and you have no net, you can’t see any net when you’re shooting on him,” U.S. forward Matthew Tkachuk said of Hellebuyck. “I’ve played against him a bunch for a lot of years. He’s a super, super elite goalie. It’s really fun having him on my side.”
The United States has reached the playoff round in five of eight NHL International Tournaments to date, including two trips to the final – finishing as runner-up at the 1991 Canada Cup and winning the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. The USA’s title in 1996 added to gold medals won at the 1980 and 1960 Olympics as well as the 1933 World Championship. The country claimed medals at two of five Olympics that included NHL players, securing silver in both 2010 and 2002.
Americans have dominated at recent World Junior Championship tournaments, including two straight gold medals and four of the past nine titles (2025, 2024, 2021 & 2017). The country has medaled at eight of the past 10 such events (4 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze).
Expert Prediction: USA 4, Finland 2
NHL Pick: USA
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