USA Clinches Final, Leaves Canada Seeing Stars (& Stripes)

Before the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament started, I was a skeptic. I was excited for the return of best-on-best hockey, of course. And I knew the players would care– for most players, the opportunity to represent their country is the highlight of their career– but I didn’t think they would care this much. But boy, was I wrong, and thank God for that.

Charlie McAvoy made Connor McDavid’s life hell all night, and there were three fights in the opening nine seconds of the game. Tonight’s matchup between Team Canada and Team USA was relatively low-scoring, but it wasn’t boring. Not for a single second.

You missed out if you turned your TV on even a minute late tonight. Team USA’s Matthew Tkachuk and Team Canada’s Brandon Hagel set the tone early when they dropped the gloves right off the opening face off. If that wasn’t enough to fire you up, Matthew’s brother Brady squared off with Sam Bennett immediately after the puck was dropped again. And don’t you forget about JT! JT Miller goaded Colton Parayko into a fight six seconds after play resumed.

Team USA didn’t look like a group of 18 skaters playing together for the first time. They looked like a team, and a great team at that. After they took the lead in the second period, the US committed to a stifling defensive game. Team Canada is loaded with offensive firepower, but you wouldn’t have known it from how well Team USA played the trap.

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McDavid’s goal came 5:31 into the opening period. Jordan Binnington played the puck to Drew Doughty, who sent a stretch pass to McDavid at center ice. McDavid blew past Zach Werenski, avoided Charlie McAvoy’s defensive stick, and beat Connor Hellebuyck forehand-backhand.

Jake Guentzel responded with the equalizer less than five minutes later. Jack Eichel forced a turnover, raced up the ice, and entered the zone. Eichel found Guentzel, and Guentzel picked his spot.

Just over 13 minutes into the second period, Matt Boldy intercepted Sidney Crosby’s pass. Boldly one-touched it up to Dylan Larkin. Drew Doughty was slow getting off the ice, so Larkin was off to the races on a two-on-one with JT Miller. He chose to shoot and beat Jordan Binnington blocker-side.

Canada pushed, but to no avail. Jake Guentzel provided the empty-net dagger with 1:19 remaining in the third period, and that’s all she wrote.

USA Victory: 10 Observations

1. Thomas Harley didn’t look like a guy who hadn’t so much as practiced with Team Canada. He officially learned that he was in less than an hour before puck drop, but he was excellent. 

2. Connor Hellebuyck was sensational. According to MoneyPuck, he saved 2.79 goals above expected. He stoned Mark Stone– I couldn’t resist– 4:33 into the game, and that set the tone for the night. After allowing Connor McDavid a highlight reel goal on the 4th shot of the game, Hellebuyck stopped the next 22 shots he faced.

3. Connor McDavid didn’t make Charlie McAvoy look very good on Canada’s first and only goal of the game. There’s no shame in that– I challenge you to find a defenseman that McDavid hasn’t taken for a walk at one point or another. What really impressed me was how well McAvoy rebounded. He led all American defensemen with five hits. Two of those came at McDavid’s expense, and none of his hits were bigger than this one. Later that same shift, Guentzel tied the game.

CHARLIE MCAVOY JUST LEVELED MCDAVID 😱 pic.twitter.com/p6W98jINCu

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 16, 2025

4. Jake Guentzel came to play tonight. He was arguably the best skater on the ice. Sure, his game-tying goal was a little soft on Binnington’s end, but it was also an incredibly well-placed shot. Both can be true.

5. I’d be shocked if Team Canada didn’t turn to Adin Hill on Monday. Binnington made some big saves tonight, but both goals he allowed were ones he could’ve saved.

6. That being said, Dylan Larkin’s goal was a bad look for Team Canada overall. It came off a rare bad giveaway from Sidney Crosby, and a slow line change didn’t help matters. I didn’t think Larkin was very good in Team USA’s decisive win over Finland, but boy, did he ever rebound well. Jon Cooper kept sending the McDavid line out against Larkin’s line, which didn’t work out very well for Team Canada. 

7. Matthew Tkachuk was injured in the third period. He’s being evaluated for a lower-body injury, but Tkachuk “isn’t concerned.”

Matthew Tkachuk says there’s “no concern” with what his undisclosed injury was in the third period vs. Canada pic.twitter.com/fRnxSlO3op

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 16, 2025

8. I haven’t been very impressed with the play of Auston Matthews and Jack Hughes in this tournament so far. If Team USA does rest Tkachuk on Monday– they’ve already clinched the final, so sitting Tkachuk would be akin to a team resting their stars in game 82 of the regular season– I expect a big game from Matthews in his absence.

9. Matthew Tkachuk admitted that the fisticuffs at the beginning of the game were premeditated. 

Apparently there was a group chat between the Tkachuk brothers and J.T. Miller that planned the 3 opening fights.

“Yeah there was a little discussion during the day,” Brady said.

“Tell the truth,” Matthew quipped.

“Yeah there was a group chat going on today.”

😂

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) February 16, 2025

10. It’s incredible to watch international best-on-best hockey again. I do wish the tournament was after the conclusion of the regular season, but after waiting nine years, beggars can’t be choosers. After this tournament, I’m even more excited for the return of NHL athletes to the Winter Olympics next year.

Bonus Observation: Today marks the first time Team USA defeated Team Canada in an international tournament in exactly 15 years. The last time USA beat Canada was February 15th, 2010, at the Vancouver Olympics.