USA vs Sweden Prediction
🔊 The Women's Ice Hockey Olympic Tournament is entering the semifinal stage. Both Team USA and Team Sweden have been unbeaten so far, standing out as the only teams with perfect records at the Olympics. Can the Swedes mount a challenge against their highly-decorated opponents? We break down the matchup and offer a prediction for the game on February 16.
Head-to-Head
📊 The women's national teams of the USA and Sweden have clashed 12 times: the North American team has claimed victory in 11 matches, while the Scandinavian side has won once. In Olympic tournaments, they have faced off four times: in 2002, the USA triumphed 4-0; in 2006, they suffered a shocking 3-4 loss in a shootout; and in 2010 and 2014, the Americans secured dominant wins with scores of 9-1 and 6-1, respectively.
H2H Stats Matches and Previous Teams Results
USA (W) Team Overview
The USA national team cruised into the semifinals with ease. In the group stage, the Americans dominated Czech Republic (5-1), Switzerland (5-0), Finland (5-0), and even Canada (5-0). They continued their impressive run by defeating Italy (6-0) in the quarterfinals. John Wroblewski's squad has been both the most prolific in scoring (26 goals) and the stingiest in defense, conceding just one goal throughout the tournament.
The United States leads the tournament in several key statistics, including shot conversion rate (11.6%), penalty killing efficiency (8/8, 100%), and goaltending performance (98.6% save percentage). Notably, the American women also boast the highest average attendance, drawing 6,812 fans per game.
Match Results: USA (W)
Sweden (W) Team Overview
Like the USA, Sweden's national team remains undefeated in the tournament. In Group B, the Swedes dismantled Italy (6-1), Japan, France (both 4-0), and Germany (4-1). In the quarterfinals, they faced a tougher opponent but managed to handle the challenge, defeating the Czech Republic 2-0.
The Swedes rank among the most efficient teams in the tournament, trailing only the two North American squads. Their conversion rate dipped slightly after the group stage to 10.7%, yet it remains impressive. Sweden are second in power play efficiency (5/16, 31.2%) and third in penalty killing (9/10, 90%).
Match Results: Sweden (W)
⚡️ Leaders
Caroline Harvey leads the tournament with 9 points (2 goals, 7 assists) and boasts the best plus/minus rating at +12. The top scorers for the USA are Hannah Bilka and Alex Carpenter, each with three goals.
For Sweden, Hanna Olsson is the leading point-getter with 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists). Thea Johansson, with four goals, is a strong contender for the top scorer title, while Hilda Svensson, with five assists, vies for the best playmaker status.
🥅 Goalkeepers
Erin Frankel carried the main load for Team USA during the group stage, posting a save percentage of 97.8% and a goals-against average of 0.33-both tournament bests. Gwyneth Philips played in the quarterfinal against Italy, stopping all six shots from the hosts.
Sweden’s top goalie, Ebba Svensson Treff, appeared in four games, allowing only two goals. Her save percentage of 97.6% and goals-against average of 0.50 are second only to Erin Frankel of the USA.
🏆 Winter Olympics Statistics
- 1998 (Nagano, Japan): USA - 1st place, Sweden - 5th place
- 2002 (Salt Lake City, USA): USA - 2nd place, Sweden - 3rd place
- 2006 (Turin, Italy): USA - 3rd place, Sweden - 2nd place
- 2010 (Vancouver, Canada): USA - 2nd place, Sweden - 4th place
- 2014 (Sochi, Russia): USA - 2nd place, Sweden - 4th place
- 2018 (Pyeongchang, South Korea): USA - 1st place, Sweden - 7th place
- 2022 (Beijing, China): USA - 2nd place, Sweden - 8th place
Editorial Prediction
Sweden are unlikely to pose a serious threat in the semifinals, while the USA have been consistently dominant throughout the tournament, securing four out of five victories with a margin of five or more goals. In their recent head-to-head encounters, the North Americans have defeated the Swedes by five goals or more in three out of their last four meetings. We predict a win for Team USA with a -4.5 handicap.
Betting Tips: USA (W) - Sweden (W)
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