Slovakia vs Canada Prediction: The Red and Black are looking very decent so far

Prediction for the Hockey World Cup Slovakia vs Canada match, which will take place on May 15th. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

The Slovakian national team was the real discovery of the last Olympics, as the modest and young squad sensationally won the bronze medals. Several Slovaks left immediately as the top numbers in the NHL Entry Draft, but we don't see every one of them at the 2023 World Cup. Notably missing is Juraj Slafkovsky, who will undoubtedly add energy and finishing touches to his national team. They looked decent against the Czechs in their opening game at the tournament but lost 2:3 in the end. The next day, on the other hand, they played a more pragmatic game against the Latvians (2:1).

Team Canada is a finalist in the last three World Championships: The Maple Leafs stayed with the silver medal twice, and in 2022 they won the competition. Now, their minimum target is to qualify for the main game of the tournament. On the way to meeting that challenge, the Red and Black have looked very decent. In the opening game, they demolished the Latvians 6:0. Then, against Slovenia, they tried to create problems for themselves as they conceded the game unexpectedly - 0:1, but then they began to settle down and secured a comfortable 5:2 win that saw them move into Group B's interim top spot.

The Canadian team, under the leadership of Andre Turigny, continues to play with very decent results. In their friendly before the World Cup 2023, the Maple Leafs beat the Hungarians 5:2 and then took turns beating the Latvians and Slovenians 6:0 and 5:2, respectively, in the tournament's opening game. Three consecutive wins by at least three goals was a good outcome, although the opponents were not of the highest level. Now the Red and Black have to face the Slovaks, but they also beat them 20:7 in their last four head-to-head encounters in the World Cup. As a result, we'd have to place a bet on Canada's victory with a handicap (-2.5).

Particular attention should be paid to the attacking feats of the Canadian national team. In the last three games, the Maple Leafs have already scored 16 goals (5.33 per game on average), which is a respectable record. Moreover, in the four previous head-to-head encounters with the Slovaks, they scored a combined total of 20 goals (5.00 per game average). Craig Ramsey's side rarely causes defensive lapses, but that's not the case in games against the Reds. With this in mind, the optimal variant for the prediction seems to be an individual total of Canada over 3.5, and separately it is worth looking at the bet on the victory of Canada in the first period.