This is Veson by the books on Vison, the Sports Betting Network.

It is the top of the hour.

I am Dave Ross right here at the men gaming hall in Franklin, Kentucky. There he is. Mark Lewis is back home in the United States after a week up there in Quebec. Fantastic, Mark, all week long having you in the program for Jensen Lewis, who's on vacation, will be back on the program on Monday. This show is sponsored by Upside, by the way. You can earn real cash back at the pump with a free upside app. Use of promo code books. You're going to get 25 cents back per gallon on your very

first tank of gas. Mark, a real pleasure it is to have Chris Meaney join the program right now

talking all things, Olympic hockey. Give him a follow on X at Chris Meaney. Does a great job as a writer

and editor at NHL.com.

And Chris, I know that we're all rooting for.

I feel like collectively we in North America for Canada and the United States

and the men's side to do battle come Sunday.

But you got to get through the pesky fins today.

Slovakia on the United States side here.

Is there any real danger that we don't get the culmination that we all want come Sunday? I think it's possible.

I appreciate the invite guys. Happy Friday. But yeah, I mean, the Czech certainly gave Canada a scare.

And Finland is a deeper squad. They do have good goaltending. UC Saros has had a really nice tournament here. But you look at the Finnish squad and they have a lot of two-way forwards, defensive forwards that can bring it offensively as well. Sebastian Ajo has three goals. Miko Randon, we know is a superstar up on the top line with Rupéhynes, who's had a quiet tournament, but is a great two-way player, Mikhail Granlin on that line as well. And you look up and down there, a lineup, Arturi Lackinen, who had the game-winning goal against Switzerland to advance to the semifinal. He has had some big moments on the big stage before. So there's some really good two-way players on the finish squad, and Canada looks like they will be without Sidney Crosby. So it's not going to be easy. I think this is going to be another tight game, certainly the tightest of the two games today. But I do feel like Canada will find a way to squeak it out. They're top guys in Connemouth David, the 19-year-old kid in Macklin-Colibrini. They've been fantastic. taking a lot of questions entering this tournament guys about Jordan Bennington. And he's answered every one of those questions so far. What about what's your take? And Chris, it's always great talk, a little hockey with you. What's your take on USA Slovakia? Yeah, I mean, the Americans are loaded, right? There's no secret. I think they have the best blue line in the Olympics. You know, they have the two offensive defensemen in Quinn Hughes, who we saw the overtime winner who didn't get to play in the Four Nations faceoff. So that's a nice boost to have Quinn Hughes there. Since he was traded with Minnesota Wild, no defensemen have more points than Quinn Hughes. He's a superstar player. and then Zach Wrenski, but they also have a lot of defensemen in Charlie McAvoy,

Jake Sanderson, Brock Faber. They're loaded

on the blue line and that's the advantage. I've been blown away guys by Slovakia, led by, you know,

a young team in your Islovkoski, who's had another fantastic Olympics. He's played 11 Olympic games in his career. He's got 10 goals. He's only 21 years old. Simone Nemich on the back end, Delabor and Dvorsov. They've had good goaltending as well. I do feel like the Americans will get by in this game. I know the line, I think, is 2.5. I feel like they will win this game by maybe three, three or four goals.

They've been so sound defensively.

And Connor Hallibuck, I thought, was fantastic against team Sweden.

So I still think it'll be a good game.

You know, Slovakia is to hug around with some good teams in this tournament, right?

Playing against Sweden and Finland as well. They've certainly impressed, but I think the Americans will be fine. Chris, when I'm looking at this and I'll do a little math here on the program, and, you know, USA right now is a minus $8 betting favorite here in the Moneyline. Canada is a minus 440 favorite. You put that in a little two-leg parlay.

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