Sweden and the Czech Republic will open the Sochi Winter Olympics hockey tournament on Wednesday.
The match will feature two teams from Group C, which also includes Switzerland and Latvia. This match is all the more important because it features the two teams deemed as the favorites to win the group. There are three groups of four teams apiece. Once the preliminary round has ended, the teams are ranked by group position and points; the top four teams are given a bye in the playoff round while the remaining eight teams are forced to play one another in elimination games. The top four teams then return to the playoff matchups in the quarterfinals.
Sweden is looking to bounce back from a tough performance in the 2010 Olympics; the team finished fifth after winning the goal in 2006. Sweden also won the goal in 1994.
"You've been thinking about it for months, but now you can really start to mentally prepare for what is ahead," said Sweden goalie Henrik Lundqvist, according to NHL.com. "It's going to be a great challenge and a great experience. I really look forward to going over there and competing."
The Czech Republic won the gold in 1998 and finished third in 2006; the team finished seventh in 2010.
Prediction: Sweden is undoubtedly the favorite in this matchup and should have no problem pulling off a 3-1 win.
Start Time: The puck drops at 12 p.m. EST.
Watch Live Stream and Score HERE.
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