2022 Beijing Winter Games Sweden vs. Slovakia odds, line: Spread pick for bronze medal game from Olympics expert

The bronze medal in men's hockey at the 2022 Beijing Olympics will be on the line when Sweden and Slovakia face off on Saturday at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing. The opening faceoff is set for 8:10 a.m. ET. Sweden is a -270 moneyline favorite in the latest Sweden vs. Slovakia odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the Over/Under for total goals is 5.5. 

Before locking in any Slovakia vs. Sweden picks or Beijing Olympics 2022 predictions, you need to see what SportsLine's Olympics expert, Mike Tierney, has to say. (Head over to SportsLine's 2022 Olympics page for more analysis and updates.)

A national sportswriter whose work appears in The New York Times and Los Angeles Times, Tierney has covered nine Olympic Games in person. For Rio in 2016, Tierney profited big-time. He told readers to bet Over on Team USA's gold medal count (41.5) and Over on Team USA's overall medal count (102.5). The result? 46 golds, 121 medals and two easy cashes.

For the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Tierney hit two of his three predictions: Germany (+200) to win the most gold medals and the United States winning Under 10.5 gold medals (+110). And at last year's Tokyo Games, he correctly predicted the United States would go Over 111.5 total medals (-110).

Sweden's Lucas Wallmark has been one of the top goal scorers in Beijing. The former player for the NHL's Hurricanes, Panthers and Blackhawks, Wallmark has scored five goals in Beijing, tied for the most of any player. He scored in each of the team's first four games, including the game-winning goal in the quarterfinal victory over Canada.

Slovakia has one of the world's top hockey prospects in 17-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky. The 6-foot-4, 218-pound forward is widely considered a top 10 pick in the upcoming NHL Draft. A scintillating combination of size, speed and skill, Slafkovsky has shined at the Olympics with five goals – tied for the most among all players.

Now, Tierney has analyzed Saturday's game. We can tell you that he is leaning Under the total of 5.5 goals, but his stronger play is on one side. He knows a crucial x-factor that makes one side a must-back. You ABSOLUTELY need to see what he has to say before locking in your picks. 

Who wins Sweden vs. Slovakia on Saturday? And what x-factor makes one side a must-back? Join SportsLine right now to find out whom you should back, all from the expert who has crushed his Olympic picks!

Tierney's pick and analysis: 

Men's hockey, Sweden vs. Slovakia (8:10 a.m. ET)
Pick: Sweden -1.5 goals (+105)

Risk outsizes value in a moneyline play on Sweden at -320 for the bronze medal, so let's hope for a repeat of the preliminary round encounter won by the Swedes 4-1. Sweden has swept the last five meetings. Slovakia has overachieved in the tournament, almost knocking off Finland in the semifinals until an empty-net goal inside the final minute snuffed out upset hopes. That the Slovaks failed to score in the 2-0 defeat means they must find answers on offense, with little time to do so.

Odds: Caesars

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