USA, Canada to meet in 4 Nations Face-Off final after fight-filled first matchup

Staff writer

Tue, Feb 18, 2025, 5:20 a.m. PST·5 min read

Violence was on the menu the first time USA and Canada faced off.

We'll get Round 2 on Thursday thanks to Canada's win over Finland on Monday afternoon. Canada secured a 5-3 win over Finland in 4 Nations Face-Off play to advance to the final against USA on Thursday night.

Canada entered Monday's game needing a win in regulation to guarantee a trip to Thursday's championship game. USA had already clinched a spot in the game thanks to a 3-1 win over Canada in round-robin play on Saturday.

USA and Canada will meet again with higher stakes after a Saturday game produced three fights, including this one between USA's Matthew Tkachuk (No. 19) and Brandon Hagel. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

Bad blood boils over in Game 1

That game reignited a USA-Canada hockey rivalry that had lied dormant for years. USA and Canada last met in the 2022 Winter Olympics. But that game featured youth players as the NHL had pulled its players from the Olympic competition in 2018 and 2022.

Saturday gave the best players from both nations their first look at each other while representing their countries in years. The result was three fights in the first nine seconds of play.

USA's Matthew Tkachuk and Canada's Brandon Hagel got the party started as soon as the puck dropped.

Tkachuk's brother, Brady Tkachuk and Canada's Sam Bennett kept it going as soon as play resumed.

USA's J.T. Miller and Canada's Colton Parayko then dropped their gloves at the 19:51 mark of the opening period.

Eventually, they got down to playing hockey, and USA prevailed to secure its spot in Thursday's final.

USA's Brady Tkachuk injured vs. Sweden

USA played Sweden Monday night with nothing at stake. Brady Tkachuk was ruled out in the second period with an undisclosed injury.

Tkachuk slid hard into the goal post in the first period. He remained in the game after the collision, but eventually walked to the locker room.

Brady then returned to the bench and briefly played a single shift after his return. But USA ruled him out of the game during the second period.

The nature of Tkachuk's injury wasn’t initially revealed. His status for Thursday’s game wasn’t immediately clear.

Auston Matthews was a late scratch against Sweden with upper-body soreness, but is expected to be available for Thursday's game, according to Team USA general manager Bill Guerin.

Matthew Tkachuk also missed Monday's game with an unspecified lower-body injury that sidelined him for the end of USA's win over Canada. His status for Thursday's rematch wasn't immediately clear.

Sweden won, 2-1, to secure its first win and hand USA its first loss of the tournament.

MacKinnon on USA: 'We feel like we could beat those guys'

The Canadians appeared to be cruising to an easy victory earlier Monday while carrying a 4-0 lead into the third period against Finland. They then fended off a three-goal rally from Finland to ensure victory.

Canada's Nathan MacKinnon, who scored two goals against Finland, is ready for another shot at USA.

"The Americans, we'd love to play them again," McKinnon said after Monday's game. "We feel like we could beat those guys. We plan on playing a little better on Thursday."

What is the 4 Nations Face-Off?

The 4 Nations Face-Off is taking place for the first time this year in lieu of an NHL All-Star game. It features top NHL players from USA, Canada, Sweden and Finland facing off in a four-team tournament. So far, it's safe to call the experiment a resounding success, as players have clearly bought in.

Compare it to the failures of the NBA's four-team All-Star tournament on Sunday, and it's a no-contest.

Series shifts to Boston after anthem tension in Montreal

Saturday's USA-Canada matchup was played with added tension thanks in part to U.S. President Donald Trump's hostile approach to America's neighbors to the north. Canadian sports fans have repeatedly booed the U.S. national anthem at sporting events in response Trump's threatened tariffs and overtures to annex Canada.

Saturday's game was played in Montreal. Fans again voiced their displeasure with a round of boos during "The Star-Spangled Banner."

The setting will shift Thursday to USA's advantage as the game will be played in Boston. And judging by the secondary ticket market, American fans will be heavily invested in backing the home team.