One game after the fight was brought to them to start Saturday’s game, literally, Team Canada responded with three punches of their own, only theirs ended up in the opposing net. Canada’s three first period goals opened up a 3-0 lead that they held on to in a 5-3 win against Finland.
The regulation win means that Canada secures a spot in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off against the United States on Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston in what should be a very highly-anticipated rematch. Canada’s regulation win eliminated both Finland and Sweden.
Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon scored 46 seconds apart early in the first period and set the tone for the Canadian team. Brayden Point scored the final first period goal, and MacKinnon scored two goals in the game.
Finland scored three goals in the final six minutes, making it momentarily a 4-3 game with less than two minutes remaining, but Sidney Crosby’s empty-net goal with 56 seconds left sealed the win for Canada.
McDavid opened the scoring less than five minutes into the game. He intercepted a Finland pass at the offensive blueline and didn’t like his initial look. He circled around and fired a perfect shot off the post and in past Kevin Lankinen.
Connor McDavid doesn't like his first look, circles back and puts it off the post and in. 1-0 #Canada
— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 1:28 PM
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It was McDavid’s second goal of the tournament.
Just 46 seconds later, MacKinnon had a full head of steam off of a chip-in by Sam Reinhart and fired a shot past Lankinen for his second goal of the tournament to give Canada a 2-0 lead only 4:59 into the game.
Chip in for Nathan MacKinnon, he chases that down and scores easily 2-0 #Canada
— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 1:30 PM
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McDavid was instrumental on Canada’s third goal as well. He took the puck in the defensive zone and rushed into the offensive zone, where he found Travis Sanheim. Sanheim’s wrist shot was stopped, but Point jumped on the rebound, and put it past Lankinen.
Connor McDavid absolutely flying in transition, play gets finished off by Brayden Point 3-0 #Canada
— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 1:48 PM
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MacKinnon’s second of the goal came five minutes into the second period. After a dump in, Sidney Crosby got the puck and fed his fellow Nova Scotian in front, and his one-timer did not miss.
Just a stellar forecheck by Sidney Crosby, and he finds a fellow Nova Scotian in Nathan MacKinnon. 4-0 #Canada
— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 2:26 PM
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That goal chased Lankinen from the game, and he was replaced by Juuse Saros. Lankinen allowed four goals on 13 shots. Saros made all 14 saves he faced in relief.
Jordan Binnington, who received his third straight start for Canada, was finally beat late in the third period. With 6:41 remaining, Esa Lindell fired a shot from the right circle off the post and in to make it a 4-1 game.
The Finns pulled Saros with under five minutes remaining, playing some of that time with six forwards on the ice. They pulled one closer with 1:40 remaining when Patrik Laine found Granlund at the top of the slot who beat Binnington from between the circles.
Finland made it a one-goal game as Granlund scored just 23 seconds later, but that was as close as the Finns came as Crosby’s empty netter restored a two-goal lead.
Captain Crosby averts disaster, gets the ENG to put Canada up 5-3.
— Matt Drake (@drakemt.bsky.social) February 17, 2025 at 3:46 PM
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Binnington made 23 saves in the win. Cale Makar, after missing the game against the United States with an illness, returned to the lineup and played 23:57.
