Team Canada opened its 2024 World Juniors campaign with a steady 5-2 win over Finland and will look to stay perfect when they take on Latvia as the huge favorite on Wednesday.
Goal scoring was no problem for the Canadians in the opening game of the tournament as they put up five goals against a defensively sound Finnish team, with 17-year-old star Macklin Celebrini finding the score sheet.
Will Canada run away with this one or will Latvia put up a fight? Find out in my free World Junior Championship betting picks for Canada vs. Latvia on December 27.
Canada vs Latvia odds
| Canada | Latvia | |
|---|---|---|
| -10,000 | 3-way (regular time) | +3,500 |
| +1,500 | Tie | +1,500 |
| -5.5 (-118) | Spread | +5.5 (-118) |
| Over 8 (-115) | Total | Under 8 (-115) |
Odds courtesy of Sports Interaction as of December 26, 2023.
Welcome to Sports Interaction 2.0
Looking to bet on some NHL action? Join Sports Interaction, the best in Canada for new bettors, with a brand-new platform featuring same-game parlays, increased prop markets, and more!
Canada vs Latvia picks and predictions
Canada came into the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship as the two-time defending gold medal winners and looked the part in their opening game with a comfortable 5-2 win over Finland, courtesy of a three-goal third period and five different scorers.
Seventeen-year-old Macklin Celebrini, projected as the No. 1 pick for the upcoming 2024 NHL Draft, was one of those five scorers and will look to continue his strong start to the tournament against a Latvian team that fell 6-0 to Sweden in its opening contest.
Latvia narrowly avoided relegation at last year’s tournament, defeating Austria 5-2 and 4-2 to retain its spot in the 2024 WJC. And despite their big loss to Sweden in the opener, Latvia won’t necessarily be an easy out for Canada.
The Latvians scored at least two goals in four of six games last year, putting up a pair of tallies against both the United States and Switzerland in losing efforts. Latvia boasts a couple of capable and experienced goal scorers in Dans Locmelis, a Boston Bruins draft pick, and Sandis Wilmanis, property of the Florida Panthers. Locmelis scored three goals in six games last year and could play a role in keeping this matchup somewhat competitive.
While Canada is the clear favorite in this game based on their depth and high-end skill, a lack of experience could cause some issues throughout the tournament. The Canadians have just one returning player on their roster — Owen Beck — so miscommunication and defensive miscues won’t be totally out of the question.
While Canada should ultimately win comfortably against Latvia, don’t be surprised if they give up a couple of goals along the way.
My best bet: Canada to win and both teams to score 2+ goals (+150 at SIA)
Canada vs Latvia moneyline & Over/Under analysis
The Canadians unsurprisingly opened as the massive favorite for this matchup at -10,000 on the three-way line. There’s no real argument to be made for a Latvia win, but there’s certainly discussion to be had on how close (or how much of a blowout) the game will be.
Canada has shown a propensity to run up the score against lesser competition in recent tournaments, racking up 11-0 and 11-2 wins against Austria and Germany last year, as well as an 11-1 victory over Slovakia in 2022. The Canadians didn’t blow the Latvians away in their last meeting, however, skating to a modest 5-2 win in 2022.
Latvia was handily outclassed by Sweden in their tournament opener, losing 6-0 while being outshot 35-20, but I wouldn’t call that complete domination. Canada is about on par with Sweden according to the World Junior Hockey Championship odds, so we could see a similar score in this one.
Today’s total was set at 8 goals and I like the Over in this early tournament matchup as both teams continue to find their bearings.
Canada should have no problem scoring at least six or seven, but the real question is how they’ll fare on the defensive side of the puck. We saw several defensive breakdowns for the Canadians against the Finns, but goaltender Mathis Rousseau made some highlight-reel saves to keep the opposition off the board.
It’s unlikely that Latvia will produce as many chances as Finland, but this newly assembled Canadian team is still building chemistry. That said, we’ll likely see a few more defensive hiccups — and with that, some good scoring chances for Latvia.
Canada vs Latvia betting trend to know
Canada has won seven straight games at the WJC after losing to Czechia in the opening contest of last year’s tournament.
Canada vs Latvia game info
| Location: | Scandinavium, Gothenburg, Sweden |
| Date: | Wednesday, December 27, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 1:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | TSN |
to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
