MONTREAL – The game the hockey world has been waiting for since 2016 did not disappoint.
The United States of America defeated Canada, 3-1, in front of a sold-out crowd on Saturday night at Bell Centre in the fourth game of the 4Nations Face-Off. It was the first meeting between the two hockey behemoths since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
With the win, the United States clinched a spot in the 4Nations Face-Off championship game on Thursday night at TD Garden. The Americans earned six points from their two regulation wins in Montreal while Canada, Sweden and Finland sit tied with two points each heading into Monday’s round robin finale.
Golden Knights center Jack Eichel picked up his third assist of the tournament as he set up Jake Guentzel for Team USA’s first goal of the night midway through the opening frame. VGK defenseman Noah Hanifin was solid on the blueline for the Americans in his 20:13 time on ice.
Detroit’s Dylan Larkin recorded the game-winning goal at 13:33 of the second period as his shot on a 2-on-1 beat Jordan Binnington to give the Americans a 2-1 lead. Guentzel seald the win with an empty-net goal with 1:19 left in regulation. He leads all skaters with three goals in the tournament.
Connor McDavid scored Canada’s only goal as his backhand shot beat Connor Hellebuyck to give the Canadians a 1-0 lead less than six minutes into the contest. Vegas captain Mark Stone was held to just two shots on net.
The game started with a bang as 30 penalty minutes were accrued in the first nine seconds of elapsed time. Matthew Tkachuk dropped the gloves with Brandon Hagel on the opening face-off, Brady Tkachuk and Sam Bennett went at it on the ensuing draw and J.T. Miller scrapped with Colton Parayko six seconds later.
Earlier in the day, Finland picked up its first win of the tournament with a 4-3 overtime victory against Sweden. After four games in Montreal, the 4Nations Face-Off moves to its final destination at TD Garden in Boston for the two remaining round robin games on Monday and the championship game on Thursday night.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st | 5:31 | G: Connor McDavid (1) | A: Drew Doughty (1), Jordan Binnington (1) | Canada 1, United States 0
1st | 10:15 | G: Jake Guentzel (2) | A: Jack Eichel (3), Zach Werenski (4) | Canada 1, United States 1
2nd | 13:33 | G: Dylan Larkin (1) | A: Matt Boldy (2) | United States 2, Canada 1
3rd | 18:41 | G: Jake Guentzel (3) | A: Dylan Larkin (1), Brock Faber (2) | ENG | United States 3, Canada 1
TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
United States | 2-0-0-0 | 6 points
Canada | 0-1-0-1 | 2 points
Finland | 0-1-0-1 | 2 points
Sweden | 0-0-2-0 | 2 points
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
(Times PT)
Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland at Boston, 10 a.m., TNT
Monday, Feb. 17: Sweden vs. USA at Boston, 5 p.m., TNT
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 5 p.m., ESPN
