The stage is set for a thrilling showdown as Canada and the United States will clash for the 4 Nations Face-Off championship, with international hockey supremacy on the line. Canada secured its spot in the final after holding off a late surge from Finland to win 5-3 at TD Garden on Monday.
Nathan MacKinnon led the charge for Canada with two goals, while Sam Reinhart orchestrated the offense with three assists. Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby each tallied a goal and an assist, and Jordan Binnington made 23 saves to secure the victory for Canada (1-1-0-1).
The win sets up a highly anticipated rematch against the United States, who defeated Canada 3-1 in a heated round-robin clash at Bell Centre on Saturday. That game was marked by high intensity and three fights in the first nine seconds, setting the stage for what promises to be a fierce battle on Thursday night.
Canada came out firing from the opening face-off. McDavid opened the scoring just 4:13 into the first period with his second goal of the tournament, capitalizing on a defensive miscue by Finland. Less than a minute later, MacKinnon doubled the lead with a quick shot to the blocker side of Finnish goaltender Kevin Lankinen.
MacKinnon’s second goal came early in the second period off a brilliant feed from Crosby, who was stationed below the goal line. This extended Canada’s lead to 4-0 and ended Lankinen’s night after allowing four goals on 13 shots. Juuse Saros replaced him and provided stability, stopping all 14 shots he faced.
Brayden Point added to Canada’s lead at 13:02 of the first period, capitalizing on a rebound from Travis Sanheim’s shot, giving Canada a commanding 3-0 advantage.
Despite trailing 4-0, Finland refused to go down without a fight. Esa Lindell broke through for Finland at 13:19 of the third period with a shot from the right circle to make it 4-1.
Mikael Granlund then ignited hopes of a dramatic comeback by scoring twice in a 23-second span during 6-on-5 situations. His first goal came at 18:20 with a one-timer from the left hash marks, followed swiftly by another from almost the same spot at 18:43, cutting the deficit to 4-3 with just 1:17 remaining.
With the momentum shifting rapidly, Canada turned to its veteran leadership. Crosby delivered the dagger, scoring an empty-netter with 56 seconds left to seal the 5-3 victory and punch Canada’s ticket to the championship game.
The win not only propelled Canada to the final but also eliminated Sweden before its final round-robin game against the U.S. The Americans secured their spot in the championship by defeating Canada in an emotionally charged contest that saw physical play and fights from the opening seconds.
Thursday night’s rematch is set to be an epic battle for international hockey supremacy. Canada will be looking to avenge its earlier defeat, while the U.S. aims to assert dominance and claim the 4 Nations Face-Off title.
With star-studded lineups on both sides and intense national pride on the line, this clash of hockey titans promises to be a must-watch spectacle.
The puck drops at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday at TD Garden. Don’t miss a moment as Canada and the United States go head-to-head for the championship and international glory.
