Adam Williams presents his prediction for the IIHF World Championship match.
The Ice Hockey World Championship, co-hosted this year by Sweden and Denmark, opens with a Group A clash between Austria and Finland.
Austria
These two sides also met during the group stage of last year’s tournament in Czech Republic, finishing close to one another in the final standings. Finland clinched the last playoff spot in fourth place, while Austria fell three points short. That encounter ended in a surprise 3:2 victory for Austria, but it wasn’t enough to secure progression. Assembling a competitive roster is a greater challenge for Austria than it is for Finland. Only two players from their squad currently play in the NHL: Marco Kasper and Marko Rossi. Marco Kasper, who plays for the Detroit Red Wings, is available, while Marko Rossi, who had a strong season with the Minnesota Wild, will not be participating. The workload he shouldered during Kirill Kaprizov's extended absence appears to have been a major strain.
Finland
In contrast, Finland's head coach Antti Pennanen and his staff have had a far easier time assembling their squad. Unlike the Four Nations Tournament, there is no restriction to NHL players only, and Finland’s goaltending remains among the best in the tournament — a testament to their outstanding development system. On this occasion, both netminders will come from the same NHL club — the Nashville Predators — with Juuse Saros and Justus Annunen sharing duties between the posts. Of the skaters arriving from North America at the start of the tournament, only three are included, with the standout being Teuvo Teräväinen of the Chicago Blackhawks, who tallied 15 goals and 43 assists over 82 games.
Austria vs Finland Prediction
Despite last year’s upset, Finland go into this contest as clear favourites. Since the beginning of April, both teams have played a string of friendlies. While Finland picked up four wins from nine games, Austria managed just one success in ten matchups. They even suffered two defeats at the hands of Hungary, a newly promoted side in the top division (2:4 and 1:5). Finland are widely expected to win by a margin of at least three goals.
