4 Nations Face-Off Prop Bets: Expect USA’s Offense to Shine on Opening Night

• USA is listed as one of the betting favorites to win the 4 Nations Face-Off Championship

• Auston Matthews is projected to lead the field in total goals scored

• Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck is expected to get the start in net for team USA

With team USA fielding a star studded cast of playmakers who all excel at creating high quality Shots on Goal, Finland’s goaltending will be under relentless pressure for the duration of their contest. Especially with Auston Matthews running the offense as the star center averages nearly 0.60 Expected Goals per game while generating a high rate of assists.

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USA vs. Finland (8:00 EST) - Best Prop Bets

No matter who gets the start at goalie for Finland, they will be tasked with having to wall off a high amount of shots towards their net. That shades value towards the over on their team total, especially if Finland decides to bench Kevin Lankinen for their matchup against Canada.

USA Team Total Over 3.5 (-130) at FanDuel Sportsbook

When the rosters for the 4 Nations Face-Off were first revealed, one thing that stood out immediately was Finland’s lack of productive goalies. While Kevin Lankinen has managed to play at a competitive level for the Vancouver Canucks this season, both Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Jusse Saros have been abysmal. Heading into the tournament, both goalies rank in the bottom half of the board in average Goals Against per game and in Save Percentage.

If Finland decides to preserve Lankinen for their matchup against Canada, then team USA’s offense will be in a great position to light up the scoreboard as they field a deep roster full of playmakers who average a high amount of Expected Goals on a nightly basis. Especially if Finland’s lack of continuity hurts their back line's ability to shift across the ice without creating gaps in their coverage. Should Lankinen get the start, then reduce the size of your wager.

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Auston Matthews Anytime Goalscorer (+185) at BetMGM Sportsbook

Heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off, Auston Matthews is listed as the favorite to score the most goals throughout the tournament. Matthews has excelled at pressuring the net this season as he averages 0.59 Expected Goals and 4.03 Shots on Goal per game. Should he be paired with a facilitating wing like Kyle Connor, then expect Matthews to capitalize on his higher quality shooting lanes that his linemate creates when they command defensive attention to their side.

For some more exposure on Matthews, also place a wager on the Toronto Maple Leaf center to generate an assist (+128) at FanDuel Sportsbook. Even when he struggled to find the back of the net before the break, Matthews still averaged over one assist per game in his last seven games. He will find himself surrounded by plenty of viable scorers with a majority of the roster averaging over 0.25 Expected Goals per game.

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USA Puck Line -1.5 (-125) at BetMGM Sportsbook

On the other side of the ice, reigning Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck is expected to get the start in net for team USA. Not only is Hellebuyck listed as the heavy betting favorite to win his second straight Vezina Trophy, but he is also building a strong case for the Hart Memorial Trophy as well. Hellebuyck has been in a tier of his own this season as he enters the tournament averaging just 2.07 Goals Against per game and a .925 Save Percentage.

Even if his back line struggles to gel together at the start of the contest, Hellebuyck has proven he can neutralize any offense with his own individual production.

When Winnipeg’s back line dipped down the board in Expected Goals Against in All Situations, Hellebuyck was still able to sustain his high level of play. With Hellebuyck anchoring their net, as well as their front line in a position to thrive, expect team USA to secure the win and cover the puck line in the process.

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How to Watch: USA vs. Finland

• When: February 13th, 8:00pm ET

• Where: Bell Centre, Montreal, Canada

• Where to Watch: ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS