Team Canada falls in tight game against USA at 4 Nations Face-Off
It’s a hockey rivalry like no other—Team Canada versus Team USA. And tonight’s showing was no exception.
In their second game of the 4 Nations Face-Off, Team Canada fell 3-1 to Team USA.
Heading into puck drop, the Canadians and Americans had faced off a total of 19 times in best-on-best tournaments since the 1976 Canada Cup, with Canada holding a 14-4-1 advantage over Team USA. The teams last clashed at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Prior to the game, Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper announced two changes to his line-up: forward Sam Bennett would take Travis Konecny’s place, while Thomas Harley, recalled urgently following Shea Theodore’s injury, would replace defenseman Cale Makar, who is ill.
READ: Team Canada players honoured and excited to don the maple leaf for 4 Nations Face-Off
Immediately on puck drop, it became clear that the nine years apart has not lessened the intensity of this rivalry one bit, and USA-Canada relations off the ice have only added to the tension.
That tension exploded with a fight between Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel immediately upon puck drop. When those two players were separated, Brady Tkachuk and Sam Bennett immediately dropped the gloves. Two fights within the first three seconds of the game.
Play moved down the ice, but not for long before J.T. Miller and Colton Parayko went at it. Three fights in nine seconds.
At 5:31 into the first period, Team Canada assistant captain Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the tournament with a beautiful backhand shot past US goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. McDavid was assisted by two-time Olympic gold medallist, Drew Doughty, with the secondary assist going to Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington.
It wasn’t long before the Americans equalized with a goal by Jake Guentzel, assisted by Jack Eichel.
A frenetic first period closed out with a score of 1-1, with shots even at 8-8.
At 13:33 into the second period, Dylan Larkin snagged the go-ahead goal for Team USA off of a two-on-one, assisted by Matthew Boldy.
Both teams made it through the second period without any fights, finishing 40 minutes of play with the Americans holding a 2-1 lead. Shots were still even, with each team taking an additional 10 shots in the second period to make it 18-18.
Despite several good scoring chances in the third period, the Canadians were unable to create a tie and the U.S. held on for a second win in as many games. After Binnington left the ice for an extra attacker with two minutes left of play, Guentzel scored an empty netter to make it 3-1 for Team USA.
Canada will take on Finland next, with the game set to take place in Boston on Monday, at 1pm ET. Team USA is now assured a spot in the championship game, set to take place in Boston on Thursday at 8pm ET.
