The NHL hit a grand slam with the 4 Nations Face-Off in every single way.
Team USA came out on top with a 3-1 victory over Team Canada hours after Finland defeated Sweden 4-3 in OT on Saturday.
Now, USA automatically advances to the finals and will await literally any of the three remaining teams. If Canada defeats Finland in the early game on Monday, it’ll set up the rematch against the Americans in Thursday’s finale.
Let’s dive into my thoughts from an incredible prime-time game between hockey’s fiercest rivals.
10 Observations
1. I wanted to run through a wall when this game began — and that was before the three fights. I truly can’t believe how it started. I didn’t know this generation of NHL players had this in them but I learned a few things from that opening.
Team Canada vs Team USA is the biggest rivalry in hockey. This generation of superstars has the old-school demolition derby type of hockey in them but the rivalries in the NHL aren’t nearly as intense as this. Especially when tournaments like these are far and few in between where every single game matters.
Kudos to the Tkachuk brothers, Matthew and Brady. Props to Sam Bennett. Great work from Brandon Hagel, too, for taking the first fight and holding his own. The elder Tkachuk and Hagel have had some intense battles over the years in the Tampa Bay and Florida rivalry but this was next level.
The Bell Centre crowd delivered. Just as expected.
2. What was J.T. Miller thinking, going after Colton Parayko?
3. You have to feel for Cale Makar. Missing the biggest game in years because of an illness is the worst kind of luck. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s possible to replicate the anticipation for this game — even if Canada and USA meet again in the finals. He’ll never get this moment back.
4. Connor McDavid was shot out of a cannon for that opening goal — an incredible vintage feed from Drew Doughty. But he didn’t do much else after that as the Americans found a way to shut him down. Head coach Jon Cooper moved Crosby to McDavid’s wing in the third period and that still didn’t amount to much of anything.
Crosby shifted to the McDavid line because Nathan MacKinnon was also neutralized. He didn’t have much of any open ice against Team USA like he did against the Swedes earlier in the week.
5. Not sure what Crosby was thinking on the turnover that led to the Dylan Larkin goal. One of those rare mishaps from a legend of the game.
6. Every time I think I’ve learned to appreciate Jaccob Slavin, I watch a game like this and quickly realize I still underrate him. What a great player. He led the way with 25:36 of ice time and was exceptional against Canada’s top stars. Slavin finished with a plus-3 rating and two shots.
7. Given the scenario he was thrown into, I thought Thomas Harley did an admirable job. The moment wasn’t too big for him despite getting called up late on Friday and not skating with his teammates at all. I’m not sure if he would’ve gotten the call had Canada had more time to bring in a veteran like MacKenzie Weegar, for example. But Harley’s certainly someone to keep an eye on for future tournaments after stepping in so well.
Not bad for a 23-year-old.
8. Devon Toews played 20:04 and was a minus-2 with two shots. Both Josh Morrissey and Drew Doughty played more than him. And MacKinnon was a minus-1 in 18:31. He had one shot on goal.
9. Hagel has quickly become one of my favorite players in the game after watching him compete in these best-on-best games. His post-game presser after the Canada vs USA game was also legendary stuff. He’s a leader in every way.
I will never in a million years understand why Chicago traded him. Ever.
10. Let’s address the goaltending. Jordan Binnington let in a softie against Jake Guentzel in the first period but settled in pretty well after that. Albeit, the Larkin goal was also saveable. In games like this, there’s little room for error. For example, in 2014, Canada beat USA 1-0 in the semi-final round. Carey Price needed to be perfect to squeeze out the win.
Does Binnington have what it takes to do that?
-1739029488-q80.webp "Slow-Footed Giancarlo Stanton at Top of Rough List in Current Baseball History")
-1739844554-q80.webp "Should the Maple Leafs Get Rid of Ryan Reaves?")
-1740323555-q80.webp "Jakob Pelletier knocks off rust in Flyers debut")
