ROC vs Sweden Men Semis Hockey Live-Stream Schedule and Odds | Bleacher Report
Petr David Josek / Associated Press
On the way to the 2022 Winter Olympics, the Russian Olympic Committee was considered by many to be the favorite to win the gold medal in men’s ice hockey. After all, Russia’s Olympic athletes took the gold at the 2018 Winter Games, and the Russian contingent is loaded with talent this year as well.
ROC are two victories from the gold medal. And it can ensure that it at least leaves Beijing with the silver by noting a win in Friday’s semi-final, when it takes on Sweden.
The winner of the match between the Russian Olympic Committee and Sweden goes on to face the winner of the second semi-final match between Finland and Slovakia in the gold medal game. The losers in the semifinals will still have a chance to reach the podium, as they will face in the bronze medal game.
Here is everything you need to know before the semi-final match between ROC and Sweden.
ROC vs. Sweden Info
Date: Friday, February 18th
Start time: 8:10 ET
TV: USA network
Live broadcast: Peacock, the NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com
Game odds
Spread: Russian Olympic Committee -1.5
Above below: 5 goals in total
Moneyline: ROC -145 (bet $ 145 to win $ 100); Sweden +115 (bet $ 100 to win $ 115)
Preview
For the most part, the Russian Olympic Committee has performed as well as expected during the Winter Olympics 2022. The Russian athletes have won three of their first four matches, and they went on to the last four with a 3-1 win over the surprise package Denmark in the quarterfinals.
ROC’s only loss came during its last match in the preliminary round, when it fell 6-5 in extra time against the Czech Republic in Group B action. It was a rare day off for the Russian defense, which has only conceded one goal over its three victories in Beijing.
This semifinal should be a competition-oriented match considering that the Swedes have also only lost one match during the Olympics.
Sweden started the winter games with victories against each other over Latvia and Slovakia. It then lost 4-3 to Finland in its final competition in the preliminary round, blowing a 3-0 lead in the third period before falling on extra time.
Even though it was a tough loss for Sweden, it bounced back by winning 2-0 over Canada in the quarterfinals. Its reward for defeating the always game Canadians is another tough test in the ROC.
During its first four matches, Sweden has scored 12 goals in total, of which five have been scored by Lucas Wallmark. The 26-year-old is tied with Slovakia’s Juraj Slafkovsky for the most goals in the men’s tournament at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Wallmark and Anton Lander scored the Swedes’ goals in their win against Canada, both of which came in the third period.
While the Russian athletes are looking to win the gold for the second straight Winter Games, the Swedes are trying to take their first medal since they won the silver in 2014. Sweden last won the gold in 2006.
If Sweden hopes to reach the gold medal game, it will need to find a way to create an offensive against a ROC defense that has mostly shut down its opponents. In the quarterfinals against Denmark, the Russians released only 18 shots on goal, while goalkeeper Ivan Fedotov noted 17 saves.
The Russian Olympic Committee has also had more offensive success in recent times than in the past during the Winter Games. After scoring just three goals in its first two matches, it has scored eight goals in its last two competitions. Vadim Shipachyov, Nikita Nesterov and Vyacheslav Voinov each scored in the quarterfinals.
ROC is the favorite to advance to the gold medal game. But Sweden will be a formidable opponent, and this matchup can go both ways.
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