Czechia vs Italy Preview & Prediction | 2026 IIHF Men’s Ice Hockey World Championship | Group Stage

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On the back of a crucial win over Sweden, Czechia look to back that up against Italy.

Kick-off date/time:

How to watch on TV: UK – Not Televised / US – NHL Network

How to watch online: UK – IIHF.TV / US – NHL Network digital platforms

Czechia vs Italy prediction

Czechia responded in the perfect way to losing in overtime to Slovenia in a game that they led heading into the third period. In what was a close battle against a very strong Sweden, Czechia took the lead in the first period and held it across the next two, defending really well with some excellent goaltending to secure a pivotal 3-4 victory.

To get the better of a team like the Swedes cannot be understated and that result will have given Czechia a huge injection of confidence. Italy are not on Sweden’s level as a unit and Czechia should find this contest significantly easier. Expect a more comprehensive win for Czechia on this occasion.

Czechia vs Italy tip: Czechia to win