Two of the better stories from the opening day of Olympic hockey were Italy and Slovakia.
The Italians took an early lead against Sweden and played them evenly through nearly two periods, while the Slovakians upset Finland.
My Italy vs. Slovakia predictions expect the two sides to build on competent offensive debuts in a relatively high-scoring matchup.
Let’s break down my free betting picks for Friday, February 13.
Italy vs Slovakia prediction
Italy vs Slovakia Best bet: Over 5.5 (-140 at BET99)
Italy’s goaltenders posted a strong .932 save percentage against Sweden and still allowed five goals in a game that featured seven.
Slovakia doesn’t possess the same kind of firepower as Sweden, but it will still find success offensively. This is the same team that scored four goals against a structured, hard-working Finland squad that opened the tournament with high expectations.
Italy has already shown it can chip in, scoring twice against Sweden. Goaltender Samuel Hlavaj owns subpar numbers in the AHL and is unlikely to sustain the level of play we saw against Finland. That’s a recipe for goals.
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Italy vs Slovakia same-game parlay
Over 5.5
Italy +3.5
Italy covered this spread against a true powerhouse in Sweden. While it gave up a ton defensively, its offensive outputs (22 shots, 2 goals) were more than respectable.
It has a better chance of converting against Hlavaj than Filip Gustavsson and should score another couple of goals. If so, it’ll be very difficult for Slovakia to create the separation needed to cover this number.
Italy vs Slovakia SGP
- Over 5.5
- Italy +3.5
Italy vs Slovakia odds
- Moneyline: Italy +850 | Slovakia -1800
- Puck Line: Italy +3.5 (-135) | Slovakia -3.5 (+105)
- Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-140) | Under 5.5 (+110)
How to watch Italy vs Slovakia
| Location | Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, Milano, Italy |
| Date | Friday, February 13, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 6:10 a.m. ET |
| TV | Sportsnet, Peacock |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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