Canada Beats USA in Overtime to Claim Inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off Championship
It was one of the most highly anticipated international hockey games of the 21st century, and it did not disappoint. Team USA and Team Canada put on an absolute show of physicality, skill, emotion, and pride. It was apparent from the start that this was more than a hockey game; it was for country pride. Ultimately Team Canada claimed the first-ever 4 Nations Face-Off Championship over Team USA by a score of 3-2 in overtime.
The first period was full of emotion, although not nearly as much as the first matchup between these two teams on Saturday when there were three fights in the first nine seconds. This time around, there was more of a competitive tension in the air. Neither team wanted to make the first mistake. While the first few minutes was mostly a process of the teams feeling each other out, Canada eventually drew first blood with a goal by superstar Nathan MacKinnon with a wrist shot from the face-off circle. The Americans were able to respond late in the first period on a gritty goal by Brady Tkachuk off a feed from Auston Matthews. That would conclude the scoring in an evenly matched first period.
The second period was nearly a mirror image of the first period, except the teams scored in opposite order. This time, Team USA scored first as Jake Sanderson capitalized on a rebound out in front off the pad of Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington to give Team USA a 2-1 lead midway through the second period. Shortly after, Vincent Trocheck committed the first penalty of the game, but Canada’s high-powered power play unit was unable to capitalize on the golden opportunity. Luckily for Canada, they caught the Americans in a bad change and Florida Panthers star Sam Bennett flew into the zone and buried the game-tying goal with four minutes left in the second period. The bitter rivals would end the second period the same way they ended the first; tied, setting up a nerve wracking third period for all the marbles.
The third period felt like the game was on the line with every hit, shot, and line change. Each team had their least amount of shots on goal out of the three periods in the final regulation frame. The USA had eight shots, and Canada had just four. In fact, there were really no major scoring opportunities the whole period. Neither team was willing to make the back-breaking mistake that could cost their country a chance at international glory. So, the only appropriate way for the rematch between these two rivals to be decided was overtime.
The extra period was everything hockey fans around the world could ask for and then some. Team USA came out firing, and Matthews had a handful of prime scoring chances in the first few minutes of the extra frame, but Binnington came up big each time to keep Canada alive. Binnington’s fabulous efforts would not go to waste as Connor McDavid came up clutch in the biggest moment. The best player in the world scored the championship-winning goal for Canada from the slot off a great pass from Mitch Marner in the corner. Nathan MacKinnon was named the tournament MVP as he ended the event with four goals in the four-game span. This historic game wrapped up the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off which turned out to be a fantastic event in which thousands of people undoubtedly became hockey fans for at least the week, but most likely, for much longer.
