Hockey fans wanted this inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off final to be epic, and that’s exactly what they got as Team Canada defeated Team USA in overtime, 3-2.
Connor McDavid scored the game-winning goal to give his country the ultimate bragging rights.
Everyone wondered what would happen at the opening puck drop following the three fights in nine seconds that occurred this past Saturday in Montreal between these two countries.
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Team USA celebrate a goal by defenseman Jake Sanderson (85) during the second period against Team Canada during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. (Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images)
But it was a normal start to a hockey game, as gloves stayed on sticks and both teams got down to business.
However, there was something similar to the last game, as it was Team Canada getting on the board first thanks to Nathan MacKinnon’s nifty wrister nearly five minutes into the period.
Team USA starting netminder Connor Hellybuyck was completely shielded by numerous players from both countries in the shooting lane, and that was MacKinnon’s idea as he skated to the middle and threw the wrister toward net.
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It was perfect placement, as there was no deflection as it went past Hellybuyck’s right shoulder. Thomas Harley and Sam Reinhart received assists on the goal.
But Team USA responded on Saturday with three unanswered goals after going down 1-0, and they went to start that trend again.
Team Canada celebrate a goal scored by forward Nathan MacKinnon (29)during the first period against Team USA during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. (Winslow Townson-Imagn Images)
Who better than Brady Tkachuk, one of those fighters at the Bell Centre on Saturday, getting the job done on an Auston Matthews pass to the middle of the ice?
With three Team Canada players around their crease, Tkachuk fought through them all and managed to get just enough stick on the puck to put it past Canada goalie Jordan Binnington to tie the game.
In the second period, Tkachuk’s forecheck was fantastic behind the net as he ultimately set up a goal by 22-year-old Jake Sanderson, the Montana native who buried a wrister on another assist from Matthews as well as defenseman Zach Werenski.
Again, it appeared the game script was being written again, but Sam Bennett had other things in mind for Team Canada.
With six minutes to play in the second, Bennett tied it up on a perfectly placed wrister over the shoulder of Hellybuyck that was set up by Mitch Marner, who got USA defenseman Adam Fox to chase him to the middle of the ice before slipping the puck to an open Bennett.
With the game tied at two goals apiece, the second period horn sounded, and this 4 Nations championship tilt was set up for a rowdy third period – the type of hockey everyone wanted to see between these two world powerhouses in Boston.
But bonus hockey with an overtime period only felt right in the end.
Team Canada forward Sam Bennett (9) celebrates scoring against Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during the second period during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. (Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images)
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Team USA had a few chances in that overtime, especially Matthews getting a Jake Guentzel pass right in the crease, but Binnington stopped the game-winner with his right pad to keep the game going.
Binnington stopped the final 20 shots from Team USA, and has to do some acrobatics in the process to allow McDavid to get his shot wide open in the slot, and No. 97 rarely misses the back of the net on those.
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