After an emotional build-up to the game between Team Canada and Team USA, and emotional anthems before the opening faceoff, the players picked up that same energy for the match. Before the puck was even dropped, Matthew Tkachuk had invited Brandon Hagel to a fight, and the Canadian forward obliged. An already engaged crowd got fully into the game with that fight, and the fisticuffs weren’t done there. With one of the Tkachuk brothers already in the box, Brady Tkachuk fought Sam Bennett as the start was attempted again.
Once the actual hockey got under way, the play lasted all of nine seconds before J.T. Miller skated into the crease and got his stick up high on Colton Parayko to start another fight. This time the officials didn’t just dole out five-minute majors to each combatant, but assessed Miller an additional minor for the cross-check.
A power play that had exploded out of the gate in the opening game of the tournament took to the ice, and while the superstars on the top unit had their looks, the Americans were able to survive long enough to see Miller released from the penalty box with the game still scoreless.
Team USA was only able to contain some of the best offensive players in the world for so long. Connor McDavid, arguably the best of all, showed off all of the talent he possesses on a rush through the neutral zone that couldn’t be matched by USA defenceman Charlie McAvoy. McDavid blew past him, went to his backhand, and sent a shot over the shoulder of Connor Hellebuyck to put Canada on the board and bring the Bell Centre crowd to its feet.
CONNOR MCDAVID! CANADA STRIKES FIRST 🇨🇦 #4Nations
— Hockey Daily 365 – NHL Highlights & News 🏒 (@hockeydaily365.bsky.social) February 15, 2025 at 9:41 PM
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The Canadian players and home crowd only had a few minutes to enjoy the euphoria of the goal. Team USA headed down the ice on a harmless looking rush, swinging the puck out to the left side. Jacl Eichel hit a charging Jake Guentzel with the puck, and the Tampa Bay Lightning forward sent a low shot under Jordan Binnington’s pad before the goaltender could close down the five-hole.
Jake Guentzel ties it for the US
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social) February 15, 2025 at 9:51 PM
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The intensity remained at a high level after each team put a goal on the board. Hits were being thrown at every opportunity with plenty of force, as the stars on each team were targeted for physical contact. An open-ice hit from McAvoy on McDavid as payback for the opening goal was the most impactful.
Canada worked hard to battle through the hits the Americans were dishing out, and Josh Morrissey doing that versus Guentzel in the offensive zone forced the U.S. goal-scorer to stick out his foot and trip up the Norris Trophy candidate, sending Canada to its second power play of the game. The passes were good once again, but the penalty-killers stood their ground and Hellebuyck backed them up to hold the potent man advantage off the board, keeping the game tied 1-1 as the first intermission arrived.
The animosity was dialed down a notch when the second period began, though the intensity was still at playoff-level heights with finished checks and the players’ attention to detail. Team USA held a slight edge in play, holding more possession while the Canadians were left to defend, but the play was largely limited to the perimeter of the zone as the possession time wasn’t leading to many quality chances. A shot off the post by Dylan Larkin from the slot and a cut-off pass from McDavid on a two-on-one were the most dangerous moments of the opening minutes.
After the midpoint of the middle frame, Canada began to get more possession in the offensive zone, and were making creative plays to the slot, but not able to solve Hellebuyck for a second time. Feeling a goal was imminent, Canada got a bit too focused on offence, and an errant pass from Sidney Crosby allowed Larkin to turn up ice on a two-on-one. The Detroit Red Wings captain kept the puck and fired it just under Binnington’s blocker to give the Americans their first lead.
Dylan Larkin gives the US a 2-1 lead
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social) February 15, 2025 at 10:55 PM
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Canada finished the period still with the edge in play they’d gained partway through, but that meant little when the Americans had scored the all-important goal to take a lead into the final period.
Despite Canada needing a goal to get the game tied, Team USA did a great job through the opening minutes of the third period to keep the play to the outside. It wasn’t helping Canada’s case that the players seemed to want to execute a nice passing play to score a goal rather than getting the puck through traffic. Many of the pass attempts were picked off by defenders and Canada was forced to reload.
With the game entering its final eight minutes, the Americans were content to just patrol the centre of the ice and dare the Canadians to get a pass through them. It was a challenge Team Canada was having a difficult time meeting as their offensive forays were turned back repeatedly.
Canada called Binnington to the bench with about two minutes to play, but the team still couldn’t get the setup it wanted. An attempted dump-in was stopped behind the American goal line, and moments later Guentzel hit the empty net for his second goal of the game.
With the win, Team USA punched its ticket to the tournament final. Canada will need to win its final game versus Finland in regulation on Monday if they want to join them for a rematch.
