Tip: An action-packed semifinal awaits as Canada and Switzerland face off!

We were treated to a lot of drama during the quarterfinals. Sweden and Czechia fought until the last minute of the match and finally managed to struggle past their respective opponents. Canada convincingly disarmed Slovakia but now faces more qualified opposition as Switzerland stands on the other side of the ice.

High Offensive Capacity

These are two teams with a lot of offensive prowess competing for a spot in the final on Sunday. Switzerland, with their NHL stars Roman Josi, Nico Hischier, Kevin Fiala, and Nino Niederreiter, has shown one of the tournament's best power plays. On Thursday, they defeated Germany 3-1. Hischier was involved in one of the goals, assisted by New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, but it was Christoph Bertschy, who plays in the domestic league, who led the way by scoring the opening goal and the decisive 3-1 goal in the third period.

Looking at the tournament's goal standings, it's no surprise that both Kevin Fiala and Nico Hischier share third place with six goals each. It's important to remember, however, that Fiala joined the team later and has only played six games in total. The Swiss team has a lot of offensive capacity, not just from their NHL stars but also from the domestic players.

Topping the goal standings in the World Championship is Dylan Cozens from Canada. The Buffalo Sabres player has scored eight goals in as many games. Closely following him is Connor Bedard, who despite his strong production has faced criticism for sloppy defensive play and unnecessary penalties. In the quarterfinals, he was dropped to the 13th forward, likely to send a signal to him and the rest of the team. In the quarterfinal against Slovakia, Canada started strong by scoring two quick goals. The Slovaks then got back into the game and pressured the Canadians until Nick Paul scored the 3-1 goal, and from there it escalated. The match ended fairly with a 6-3 win for Canada. However, it shows that Canada continues to concede goals while being eager to attack. Against a Switzerland with even more offensive capacity than Slovakia, such carelessness could be costly.

Recently Met

Both Canada and Switzerland played in Group A in the group stage and met just before the playoffs. That time, Canada emerged victorious after Kevin Fiala received a match penalty, and Canada turned the game around in the power play. It was evident that there were a lot of emotions in both teams, which led to plenty of penalties. A total of nine 2-minute penalties and a 5 + match penalty were handed out. I wouldn't be surprised if Canada's physical play triggers Switzerland early in the match and stirs up trouble from the group stage match. Considering that 4 out of the 5 goals in that match came in the power play, it would definitely support my betting idea for this game!

Betting Tips and Conclusion

When the teams last met, over 5.0 goals (regular time) closed at around -167, and now the same bet is available at over -125, which I find hard to believe. Although semifinals and important matches usually mean more cautious play, I think the odds are a bit exaggerated. We have plenty of offensive capacity in both teams, and with the emotions stirred up during the group stage, I find it not unlikely that we'll see a few penalties in this match. Considering the strong power play performances both teams have shown, I'm tempted by an over bet!

Canada - Switzerland Over 5.0 @ -120 on BetMGM!