United States vs. Canada | 4 Nations Face-Off Highlights | February 15, 2025

U.S. Secures Championship Spot with Victory Over Canada

MONTREAL – The United States clinched a spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game with a commanding 3-1 victory over Canada at Bell Centre on Saturday. Jake Guentzel led the way with two goals, while Dylan Larkin added a goal and an assist. Goaltender Connor Hellebuyck played a crucial role, stopping 25 shots to secure the win for the U.S.

With this victory, the U.S. remains unbeaten in the tournament (2-0-0-0) and sits atop the standings with six points. Canada, Sweden, and Finland each have two points, but with only one round-robin game remaining, the U.S. has locked in first place and a ticket to Thursday’s championship game at TD Garden in Boston.

A Fierce Battle from the Start

The intensity of the long-standing rivalry was evident early on, with three fights occurring within the first nine seconds of play:

• Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel engaged at puck drop.

• One second later, Brady Tkachuk squared off against Sam Bennett.

• Following another face-off, J.T. Miller and Colton Parayko exchanged blows near the U.S. net.

Miller also received a cross-checking penalty, but the U.S. penalty kill stood firm.

Canada Scores First, U.S. Responds

Canada struck first at 5:31 of the opening period when Connor McDavid sped through the neutral zone, received a pass from Drew Doughty, and lifted a backhand shot past Hellebuyck.

The U.S. answered quickly, tying the game at 10:15. Moments after Charlie McAvoy delivered a hard hit on McDavid, Guentzel capitalized with a shot from the left face-off circle that slipped under Jordan Binnington’s pad.

McAvoy continued to set the tone physically, landing another big hit on McDavid later in the period. The U.S. finished with a slight edge in hits, recording 17 to Canada’s 14.

Larkin’s Game-Winner and Guentzel’s Insurance Goal

The U.S. took control at 13:33 of the second period when Larkin, on a 2-on-1 rush with Miller, kept the puck and fired a precise shot past Binnington to make it 2-1.

Before Larkin’s goal, Hellebuyck made three key saves within 10 seconds, denying Nathan MacKinnon, Doughty, and Thomas Harley. The quick transition led to Larkin’s go-ahead tally just seconds later.

Guentzel sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 18:41. Hellebuyck remained steady in net, turning away all eight of Canada’s third-period shots.

Injury Concern for Matthew Tkachuk

A potential setback for the U.S. emerged late in the game as Matthew Tkachuk was sidelined for the final 12:36 due to an apparent injury. He remained on the bench, but his availability for the championship game remains uncertain.

Looking Ahead

The tournament’s final round-robin games will take place at TD Garden on Monday, but the U.S. has already secured a place in Thursday’s championship match. With a strong performance so far, they will look to claim the tournament title against their yet-to-be-determined opponent.

This article is an original composition based on publicly available game details and does not include copyrighted NHL content.