4 Nations Face-Off: Best Bets and Player Props for USA vs. Canada

Obviously, the NHL knew exactly what they were doing when they scheduled this rivalry showdown. The USA and Canada take to the ice on Saturday night in what’s sure to be another unforgiving environment. The price on the States has come down relative to pre-tournament odds, illustrating the betting market’s confidence in the USA.

Using FanDuel Sportsbook's 4 Nations Face-Off Odds, let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com. Lineup notes come from Daily Faceoff.

Today’s Betting Picks for USA vs. Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off

USA Moneyline (-110)
Over 6.5 Goals (-104)

It may have taken longer than anticipated, but the Americans finally broke through against the Finns on Thursday night. They had just a 2-1 lead heading into the third but closed out the game by scoring four unanswered. Another deluge of goals is expected on Saturday night.

USA was firing on all cylinders earlier in the week. They put up 32 shots in the victory, hitting double-digits in two of the three periods. The States should turn Saturday’s clash into another shooting gallery, with similar results against Jordan Binnington.

It’s a sad state of affairs when your No. 1 goaltender has an 89.6% save percentage in the regular season, but that’s the reality of the scenario impacting the Canadians. Binnington was equally unimpressive against Sweden, giving up 3 goals on 26 shots for an even worse 88.5% save percentage. Facing a more potent American attack, those numbers will again be on the rise.

While Canada might be unable to keep pace, they should at least do their part to send this one over the total. Canada’s power play looked particularly dangerous. Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and Nathan MacKinnon flashed instant chemistry and will again be asked to shoulder the offensive burden versus the USA.

It might take a late goal or a few power play tallies, but this game appears destined for the over. As inferred, we also see an edge in backing the Americans as they’ve proven to be the more cohesive group.

Cale Makar Any Time Goal Scorer (+500)

We’re making a pure value play with our prop bet.

Cale Makar has proven himself as a perennial Norris Trophy candidate with the Colorado Avalanche and should get some recognition in the Hart Trophy conversation over the coming years. For now, we like his chances of finding the back of the net at the Bell Centre.

Makar was held pointless on Wednesday but has a few factors supporting increased productivity and output. First, he played 28:06, putting him light years ahead of the next closest skater. Moreover, Makar recorded two shots on goal while featuring regularly in the attacking zone. He’s among the most productive players in the NHL, averaging 15.3 scoring and 6.1 high-danger opportunities per game. That equates to 22 goals through his first 57 games of the season.

Canada could be forced into emptying the offensive tank to try and keep pace with the USA. They can count on Cale Makar to be a part of that attack -- as can bettors looking for a value pick in the any time goal scorers market.

Given his analytics profile and deployment on the Canadian roster, Makar can be relied upon to find the back of the net.

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