Olympic Hockey Schedule 2018: Men's Semis Matchups, Live Stream and Odds
When the men's hockey tournament started at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, no one would have been able to correctly predict the semifinalists.
Canada and the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) seemed like locks to qualify for the medal round, the Czech Republic was seen as a bit of an outsider and Germany appeared to have zero chance of making it to the quarterfinals.
With Sweden and Finland out of the running for gold, the Canadians and Russians are on a collision course for a star-studded final if they knock off the Germans and Czechs, respectively.
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Canada is the two-time defending Olympic champion, while the OAR have arguably the most talented roster in the competition.
Although a final between the Canadians and the Russians is expected, don't be surprised if we are delivered another unlikely twist during Friday's semifinals given the way the tournament has gone.
Friday's Ice Hockey Schedule (All Times ET)
Czech Republic vs. Olympic Athletes from Russia (2:40 a.m.)
Canada vs. Germany (7:10 a.m.)
Both games can be live-streamed on NBCOlympics.com.
Odds to Win Tournament
Olympic Athletes from Russia +225 (bet $100 to win $225)
Canada +275
Czech Republic +900
Germany +6,600
Odds per OddsShark.
Canada Shocked to Face Germany
When the knockout-phase bracket was released, Canada appeared set for a semifinal showdown with Sweden, but Germany threw a wrench into that plan with an overtime win over Sweden in the quarterfinals.
After their win over Finland in the final eight, the Canadians caught wind of Germany's result and had a bit of surprised reaction.
But as center Eric O'Dell noted after Canada's quarterfinal win, it doesn't matter who is in the way its path to the gold-medal game, per Stephen Whyno of the AP:
Canada didn't have any trouble with Switzerland and South Korea in Group A, and you could make the argument Germany possesses around the same level of talent as the two sides the Canadians beat by a combined score of 9-1.
While the 2014 Olympic champion comes in as the overwhelming favorite to advance to a third straight gold-medal game, the Germans are trying to write the ultimate underdog story and advance to a rare Olympic championship match.
At the beginning of the tournament, you would have been called fanciful if you predicted Germany's spot in the semifinals, especially as a result of a win over Sweden.
Former NHL player Marco Sturm has directed the German team to the unexpected semifinal berth thanks to contributions from an array of players.
At the 2015 IIHF World Championship, Canada defeated Germany 10-0, but that result came with a collection of NHL stars featuring for the former.
The playing field is leveled a bit given the lack of superstars on the Canadian roster, but their program is still deeper than Germany's.
If the game were decided on talent alone, Canada would win with ease. But the Germans have something special going as a team, and they shouldn't be counted out until Canada buries them on the ice.
Czechs, Russians Enter Intriguing Matchup
Just like the semifinal at the top of the bracket, the showdown between the second-seeded Czech Republic and the third-seeded Olympic Athletes from Russia seems like it will be a lopsided affair given the talent on the Russian roster.
Although they earned the No. 2 seed, the Czechs weren't expected to shine as much as the Russians, Canadians or even the Swedes or Finns, but they have earned their position in the semifinals.
A shootout win over Canada in pool play opened the door for success, and the Czechs survived a test in the quarterfinals by knocking off the United States in a shootout.
All of the focus on the Czechs comes on defense, as they have to limit the opportunities of a Russian attack led by Ilya Kovalchuk, Pavel Datsyuk and Kirill Kaprizov.
That three-pronged monster at the top of the Russian attack has benefited from Nikita Gusev's distribution, as he's produced six assists over four contests, including a pair in the 6-1 win over Norway in the quarterfinals.
The one knock on the Russians is they haven't won any tight games at the Olympics, as they overpowered Slovenia, the United States and Norway in their three previous contests.
In their one close affair in pool play, the Russians fell 3-2 to Slovakia, but that loss could be attributed more to lack of preparedness and cohesion more than the Russians' ability to win close games.
If anything, the Russians used the opening defeat to Slovakia as a wake-up call since they have outscored opponents 18-3 in their most recent 180 minutes of hockey.
Although they may not win by a five-goal margin like they did in the quarterfinals, the Russians should use their well-rounded attack to knock in three or four goals to see off the Czechs.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
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