USA vs Canada live score updates: 4 Nations Face-Off Championship Game latest
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The United States is taking on Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off Championship Game at TD Garden in Boston.
Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring for Canada early in the first period, firing a wrister through traffic and beating Connor Hellebuyck up high. Team USA tied the game late in the first after Brady Tkachuk cleaned up an Auston Matthews wraparound.
The United States took the lead near the midway point of the second period as Jake Sanderson flicked in a rebound to cap off a hectic sequence. Canada equalized with six minutes remaining in the second on an accurate Sam Bennett shot from close range, assisted by Mitch Marner.
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P3 7:30 – United States 2, Canada 2
Marner nearly releases Point in on goal but Matthews makes a crucial interception to prevent a breakaway. Moments later, McDavid has a similar opportunity but can’t corral the puck near the wall.
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This. This right here. This is the game the NHL needed. The theatrics of Saturday’s round-robin game were great fun, but this doesn’t have any of the extracurriculars that make non-hockey fans roll their eyes. This is just pure, uncut sports goodness. It’s fast, it’s fierce, and there have been steady chances in both directions. It would have been a bummer to have gotten a blowout, or something akin to Canada’s ridiculously effective but incredibly dull defensive dominance from the 2014 Olympics. Overtime is always better, but no matter how this one ends, nobody will feel short-changed, and nobody will walk away thinking hockey is boring.
Serious question. If USA wins, he should be in the conversation with Werenski, Eichel, and Hellebuyck. Rock solid in the toughest matchups in the tournament.
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You can feel the tension in this building. Reminds me a lot of how it felt in Vancouver in the 2010 Olympic gold medal game. Both teams trying to minimize mistakes. Nothing fancy.
P3 12:06 – United States 2, Canada 2
Jarvis has a great shooting opportunity but Slavin comes up huge for the U.S. defense yet again, putting his body on the line to block Jarvis’ attempt.
Jake Guentzel has been one of Team USA’s best players all night. I covered him for many years and thus am equipped with the knowledge that Guentzel never met a big game that he didn’t like. He’s as cool as they come in the biggest of moments. He’s come awfully close to scoring numerous times in this one.
By the way, this might sound like overkill, but since we’re all enjoying this rivalry so much, you could scrap this silly 4 Nations idea and just have a USA-Canada best-of-seven series every other year. I’m serious. It would be great. It’s what the people want. The TV ratings aren’t going to lie.
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Zero shifts for Matthew Tkachuk so far in the third period. Looks like he’ll be a spectator. He could barely skate in the second.
P3 12:41 – United States 2, Canada 2
An absolutely frenetic pace now! The chances are coming thick and fast. First, Canada hits the iron of Hellebuyck’s goalpost as Makar’s shot is deflected by Hagel before taking multiple bounces.
Then, Guentzel has a chance right in front of net but Binnington gets his stick to the shot to deflect it away. And finally, a loose puck off the boards nearly gives Eichel a free goal, but Point makes an incredible defensive play to knock the puck away!
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I’m not sure Travis Sanheim and Colton Parayko were cut out for this level in the end. They’ve both struggled tonight and in stretches throughout the tournament, and Sanheim has fought the puck at times. The absences of Shea Theodore, Alex Pietrangelo and Josh Morrissey have obviously been felt, but I also think there are reasonable questions to ask about whether a MacKenzie Weegar (who can play both sides) would have been a better third-pairing fit, or if this Canadian blue line could have used Evan Bouchard’s puck-moving.
P3 14:53 – United States 2, Canada 2
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports that Matthew Tkachuk, who has yet to play in the third period, told the U.S. coaching staff that he can push through his injury and continue to play. Kaplan reports that the coaching staff told her they would use him in a limited role.
P3 16:43 – United States 2, Canada 2
Werenski with a big shooting chance in the slot but Binnington makes the save.
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P3 17:07 – United States 2, Canada 2
Canada gets caught in a change, allowing Guentzel to scoop up a loose puck and break free on goal. Makar belatedly comes onto the ice and limits Guentzel’s options somewhat. Guentzel tries a backhand but his attempt is ultimately easy for Binnington to save.
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P3 20:00 – United States 2, Canada 2
Twenty minutes (or maybe more) stand between one of these teams and glory!
United States defenseman Jake Sanderson was asked about his first 4 Nations Face-Off goal during second intermission.
“I blacked out,” Sanderson said to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. “Great play from the guys and I was just glad to make a play there.”
Sanderson also spoke about his excitement after being called into the Team USA roster.
“I was shaking, was so fired up,” he said. “I was so happy to be here with these guys.”
Canada’s leader in shots on goal through two periods is Sam Bennett, with six. He has played 7:57, only Brad Marchand and Seth Jarvis, his linemates, have played less.
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Connor McDavid has been held in check so far by the United States.
The Canadian star has totaled 13:43 minutes of ice time through two periods, but has only recorded two shots on goal.
If Canada is to win this game, they could certainly use a game-changing moment like the ones that McDavid is so capable of providing.
Jake Sanderson is making the most of his opportunity in this tournament.
The 22-year-old defenseman, who entered the United States lineup for the injured Charlie McAvoy, delivered Team USA’s go-ahead goal in the second period.
Sanderson has five goals in 55 games this season for the Ottawa Senators.
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Zach Werenski’s second-period assist on Jake Sanderson’s goal moved him to the top of the point leader chart.
He now has six points during the 4 Nations Face-Off, moving him past Sidney Crosby’s five.
Should Werenski hang onto the top spot, he would become the first defenseman to be the outright points leader at an NHL international tournament.
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Team Canada:
Team USA:
Canada 2, USA 2 in third period
Perfect advertisement for hockey
Jaccob Slavin: MVP without a point?
Tension rising
Praise for Guentzel
Tkachuk yet to play in third period
Big chances for both teams!
Questions about Canada’s defensemen
Third period is underway!
Sanderson: ‘I blacked out’ after scoring goal
McDavid yet to make an impact tonight
Sanderson unlikely goal scorer for Team USA
Werenski nearing history with latest point
Time on ice leaders through two periods
Matthew Tkachuk injury update: USA star hits bench in 4 Nations Face-Off final vs. Canada
Is the USA’s Matthew Tkachuk hurting again?
The Florida Panthers star winger sat on the U.S. bench toward the end of the second period Thursday night in the 4 Nations Face-Off final, skating one brief shift before returning to the bench. He was on the bench at the start of the third.
He was hurt at the end of the first USA-Canada game on Saturday, staying on the bench near the end of the third period.
Tkachuk missed Monday’s game against Sweden but was in the starting lineup on Thursday on a line with brother Brady.
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan said USA assistant coach John Hynes told her that Tkachuk was battling through an injury but said, “I can push through this.” He’s expected to play a limited role in the third period.
The Tkachuk brothers have been dominant in the tournament. Both Matthew and Brady Tkachuk scored two goals in the opener against Finland.
Then both brothers started fights in the opening seconds of Saturday’s game against Canada.
Brady Tkachuk left Monday’s game with an injury and was reportedly dealing with an illness on Thursday.
But he scored the USA’s opening goal and had four hits through two periods.
This story has been updated with new information.
Tkachuk brothers, Matthews expected to play for United States in 4 Nations final
Forwards say they will ‘be ready to go’ against Canada in championship game
© Andre Ringuette/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey
BOSTON — When the puck drops on the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the United States will have its full complement of forwards, with Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk all expected to play against Canada at TD Garden on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, Disney+, SN, TVAS).
Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk were both held out of the U.S. game against Sweden on Monday, and Brady Tkachuk was injured in the first period and did not play the rest of the game. Brady was back on the ice for the United States’ morning skate Thursday, but Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Chris Kreider and Jack Eichel were not.
Coach Mike Sullivan said the team is healthy with the exception of defenseman Charlie McAvoy, but that the roster would be a game-time decision.
McAvoy, the Boston Bruins defenseman, was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday after sustaining an injury to his right shoulder acromioclavicular joint in the game against Finland on Feb. 13. He was later diagnosed as having an infection in the shoulder and a “significant injury to his AC joint,” according to a statement by Bruins head team physician Peter Asnis. McAvoy was released from the hospital on Thursday.
Having both Tkachuks and Matthews will be significant for the U.S. in the final.
“Brady and Matthew, first and foremost, are really good hockey players,” Sullivan said Wednesday. “And they’ve been a big part of the success that we’ve enjoyed to this point in this tournament. I also think they have the ability through their personality to give our team a whole lot of confidence and swagger.
“I know what this tournament means to them personally and how important it is to put our best game on the ice. So I know they’re excited to play. They’re excited for this opportunity. It’s an unbelievable opportunity. This is as good as it gets with respect to best-on-best.”
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Matthews, who did not play on Monday, said his upper-body injury popped up during the tournament, but that he was much improved. Sullivan referred to it as “upper-body soreness” earlier this week.
“Feeling a lot better,” Matthews said. “A lot better. Just woke up Monday, just a lot of discomfort. Skating didn’t feel very good, so just made a decision with the staff to hold me out for that game and just focus on feeling better. Definitely been making a lot of progress.”
Matthews has dealt with an upper-body injury at times throughout this season, including taking a trip to Germany to address the issue, and has played in only 40 of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 55 games this season. He has 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists).
But this was something new.
“It was kind of just a weird thing,” he said. “Like I said, it definitely has progressed well and I’m feeling much better. So I anticipate tomorrow will feel even better than I did today. And there’s no way I was missing this game. I’ll be ready to go.”
It was the same thing Matthew said.
“I’m ready to go,” he said. “It’s going to be an incredible game. I’ll be ready to go.”
Canada vs. USA Championship Trailer: For Country. For Legacy. Tune in at 8PM Thursday on ESPN
Brady’s injury appears to have come at 5:12 of the first period against Sweden when the forward lost an edge and crashed into Sweden goalie Samuel Ersson’s left leg and skate. The net was dislodged on the play. Tkachuk took a 10-second shift before heading to the dressing room, later coming out for a 14-second shift at 14:11, but that was his last of the night.
Sullivan said after the game that Brady had been held out of the rest of the game more for precautionary reasons.
“It was a weird play,” Matthew said. “I didn’t really know what happened, I still don’t really know what happened, but I think he’s saving everything he has for tomorrow night. I’m very confident he’ll be at his absolute best.”
It was Matthew and Brady Tkachuk who provided some of the fireworks in the first game against Canada, on Saturday, with each fighting as part of the three fights in nine seconds to open the game. Matthew started the fisticuffs with Brandon Hagel, with Brady fighting Matthew’s Florida Panthers teammate Sam Bennett shortly thereafter.
“As I’ve said all along here, I think there’s a mutual respect on both sides for how talented the teams are,” Sullivan said. “I also think from our standpoint with respect to those two guys, there’s a certain determination that those guys have to want to win.”
Now available on NHL Auctions, 4 Nations game-worn jerseys from USA vs. Canada and Finland vs. Sweden, as well as pucks used in games throughout the tournament.
