The Men’s Ice Hockey tournament in the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics begins with a bout between Team Slovakia and Team Finland on Wednesday, February 11.
Finland has the more talented team jumping the boards and a superior goaltender patrolling the blue paint, so my top Slovakia vs. Finland predictions and free betting picks are calling for the Finns to cruise to a convincing win in the tournament opener.
Slovakia vs Finland prediction
Slovakia vs Finland best bet: Finland -1.5 (-150 at BET99)
Pair the superior talent on Team Finland with the edge the Finns have in goal, and I’m anticipating Slovakia having a tough time keeping up in this tournament-opening matchup.
Finland also benefits from international experience throughout the lineup, and stars Mikko Rantanen, Sebastian Aho, and Miro Heiskanen are insulated by a well-rounded collection of forwards and blueliners.
Returning to the crease, Finland No. 1 Juuse Saros posted a high-end .943 save percentage and 1.67 GAA during the World Championship last spring, while likely Slovak starter Samuel Hlavaj is struggling in the AHL with respective .884 and 3.33 marks.
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Slovakia vs Finland same-game parlay
Finland -1.5
Under 5.5
The depth advantage Finland has jumping the boards isn’t exactly a who’s who of high-end scorers, so Slovakia can keep the Finns in check with sound team defense. This will also be a strength for Finland.
Playing high-scoring games isn’t going to be the recipe for success for Finland, and the Finns have the personnel to pay particular attention to defensive detail and limit their opponents.
Additionally, the Finns only beat the Slovaks 2-1 in their most recent international meeting in the World Championship, albeit without all three of the highlighted Finnish stars.
Slovakia vs Finland SGP
- Finland -1.5
- Under 5.5
Slovakia vs Finland odds
- Moneyline: Slovakia +335 | Finland -475
- Puck Line: Slovakia +1.5 (+120) | Finland -1.5 (-150)
- Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-105) | Under 5.5 (-125)
How to watch Slovakia vs Finland
| Location | Milana Santagiulia Arena, Milan, Italy |
| Date | Wednesday, February 11, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 10:40 a.m. ET |
| TV | NBC |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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