MONTREAL — Team USA, riding the surge of three first-period fights in the opening nine seconds, claimed a 3-1 win over Team Canada on Saturday at the Bell Centre. Matthew Tkachuk started the fisticuffs against Brandon Hagel. Brother Brady Tkachuk followed with a tilt against Sam Bennett. J.T. Miller completed the set by fighting Colton Parayko.
According to Brady Tkachuk, he and his brother were among the participants in a Saturday group chat that discussed the possibility of off-the-drop fisticuffs. Matthew Tkachuk started it by asking Hagel to fight.
“Had to send a message,” Matthew said. “We’re here in Montreal on a Saturday night. We want it to be our time. That’s the message sent right from the get-go.”
Brady felt like he had no choice but to follow.
“Matthew’s fight to start it off was just such an energy boost,” Brady said. “I think I was more excited, more nervous than my own. Then Millsy to cap it off, to (go) against a big guy like that, he did a great job. It was a pretty awesome experience.”
Jake Guentzel does not get involved in such confrontations. Nevertheless, he enjoyed it.
“That was just unbelievable,” said the skilled forward. “The start of the game, that was pretty electric, getting the fans into it. Hats off to those guys. It just gets you into the game. You’re already into the game, but just seeing those guys go out like that, that was pretty cool. Everyone just ramped up even more.”
Meanwhile, the Americans stifled the explosive Canada offense by limiting the Canadians to 26 shots. Connor Hellebuyck, playing his signature technically sound game, stopped 25 shots, including a Connor McDavid high-slot chance in the third to keep it 2-1.
“It’s pretty cool to see all the best players in the country chipping pucks in the third, blocking shots and doing the little things that count,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “I had a front-row seat for it. It was pretty cool to see the buy-in from everybody. You’re seeing some of the best players in the world doing it. I think it speaks volumes to what type of character we have on that team. Growing up, it’s kind of instilled in us.”
Team USA, with six points, has earned a spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game on Thursday.
Matthew Tkachuk injured
Tkachuk was limited in the third period. The winger stayed on the U.S. bench, but he did not take a single shift since 7:24 of the third. It was one of three shifts for the power forward in the third period.
Matthew Tkachuk just told the coaching staff he couldn’t go, according to Ray Ferarro 😳 pic.twitter.com/d2WOHKuDyr
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 16, 2025
Tkachuk did not disclose what he was dealing with in the third. It’s unknown whether he’ll be available for the Americans’ game against Sweden on Monday. Coach Mike Sullivan classified it as a lower-body injury.
“Felt good,” said Tkachuk. “Feels way better after a win. Should be good.”
Larkin emerges in second
Dylan Larkin started the tournament as America’s No. 4 right wing. He will not be back there anytime soon.
Larkin, promoted to third-line center against Canada, was electric in the second period. He nearly executed an inside-out move in front of Jordan Binnington, but rang his shot off the left post.
Larkin made up for his miss later in the second.
The Americans made a stout play in the defensive zone. Matt Boldy picked off a Sidney Crosby pass to initiate a two-on-one rush for Larkin and Miller. Meanwhile, Thomas Harley had gone off the ice for a change after getting the puck into the offensive zone.
With only Travis Sanheim back for Canada, Larkin pushed the pace and whistled a shot on net, never even looking at Miller as an option. Larkin’s shot sizzled through Jordan Binnington, giving the Americans a 2-1 lead.
USA TAKES THE LEAD 🦅 #4Nations
🇺🇸: ABC & @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/S5tPrXCygm
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/XwYDc9Snxk— NHL (@NHL) February 16, 2025
Limited offense for Canada
The Canadians had 26 shots, but not enough of high quality, especially from the top six. Nathan MacKinnon and Mitch Marner had one shot each. Crosby had none.
“It was tough to generate offense both ways,” said McDavid (three shots). “Two teams that have got a lot of respect for each other offensively, and it comes down to a shot. I think that’s the way we expected it to go.”
Quiet but steady play from Slavin
Jaccob Slavin does not have the dynamic offensive game of Zach Werenski. But Slavin, the steady left-shot defenseman, led the Americans with 17:28 of ice time through two periods. The stay-at-homer was on the ice for both of his team’s goals.
Slavin is not the fastest skater either. But he is smart positionally and has a good stick.
McDavid vs. McAvoy
Charlie McAvoy is one of the league’s stouter defenders. But McAvoy was helpless against Connor McDavid’s ludicrous speed. In the first period, after taking an outlet pass in the neutral zone from Drew Doughty, McDavid punched the turbos, blew past McAvoy and catapulted a backhander over Hellebuyck for the game’s opening goal.
McAvoy seemed to take it personally.
Later in the first, McAvoy dropped McDavid with a hip check, then shoved his head toward the ice. On the following shift, McAvoy thumped McDavid along the boards. McAvoy and partner Werenski were tasked with matching McDavid, Sam Reinhart and Marner.
“That also is a message-sending moment,” Matthew Tkachuk said of McAvoy flattening McDavid. “Probably one of the plays of the game. They just scored a goal. The building was rocking. Charlie comes in there and he pops McDavid. Like, one of the hardest hits I’ve seen. I thought we did a great job of handling our emotions and hitting when possible. I thought Charlie was incredible tonight.”
Binnington shaky early
Jake Guentzel approached with pace off the rush. He took a tape-to-tape pass from Jack Eichel. But Guentzel was outside the left dot when he released a 22-foot shot. Most goalies stop such shots with ease. But Jordan Binnington let Guentzel’s shot slip through his pads, tying the game at 1-1. It was a shot Binnington had to stop.
While it was Guentzel’s goal, Eichel created the chance. The center stripped Devon Toews in the defensive zone and rapidly carried the puck through the neutral zone. Eichel has been the Americans’ best transition center.
Makar out, Harley in
Cale Makar did not play against the U.S. because he was sick. Harley, added to Canada’s roster, replaced Makar on defense. Harley took Makar’s usual spot next to Devon Toews.
Brad Marchand served as the No. 2 alternate captain in Makar’s place. McDavid is the other alternate.
Marchand played with Sam Bennett and Seth Jarvis. Bennett replaced Travis Konecny.
Healthy scratches
Chris Kreider, Jake Sanderson and Jeremy Swayman were the healthy scratches for the Americans. They were also out of uniform against Finland in the tournament opener.
Konecny and Sam Montembeault were the healthy scratches for Canada.
Sullivan knows Crosby best
There is no coach who knows Crosby better than Mike Sullivan. So whatever the Team Canada captain does, such as set up his team’s winning overtime goal in the tournament opener, is no surprise to Sullivan.
“He’s a big-game player,” said the Team USA coach. “I’ve witnessed it firsthand for a decade now. Sid tends to be at his best when the stakes are high. That’s what I witnessed the other night. I anticipate he’ll be at his best against us.”
(Photo of Dylan Larkin: Andre Ringuette / 4NFO / World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
