4 Nations Face-Off: Thrilling final & full Tournament review
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The 4 Nations Face-off Tournament was a triumph. With Team Canada’s thrilling victory over Team USA, they solidified their status as the top hockey nation in the world.
The National Hockey League (NHL) replaced its traditional All-Star Game with the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament, a best-on-best competition featuring the top players from the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland, representing their home countries. This star-studded event captivated the hockey world, generating major headlines and drawing massive viewership.
The United States and Canada clinched their spot in the championship game on Feb. 20 at TD Garden in Boston through round-robin style play. This final round garnered 16.1 million viewers in North America, with 9.3 million viewers in the United States and 6.3 million viewers in Canada. It was the second most-watched hockey game in the past decade, coming right behind Game Seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. As if those numbers were not impressive enough, the tournament's final game is the most-viewed non-National Football League (NFL) game ever on ESPN+.
The championship game itself was a thriller, and fans were on the edge of their seats as the game went into a sudden death overtime. Tensions were already high, with the United States-Canada rivalry running deep and the fact that the first time the two teams met, there were three fights in the first nine seconds of the game.
Canada came out the gate strong, with center Nathan MacKinnon putting Canada on the board first. The United States answered back with just over three minutes left in the first period; winger Brady Tkachuk capitalized off of center Auston Matthews' blocked shot, tying up the game.
With about 12 minutes left in the second period, defenseman and 4 Nations leading scorer Zach Werenski fired a shot from the blue line, which goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped. Rebounded by Matthews and a deflected pass to defenseman Jake Sanderson, the United States achieved a 2-1 lead. Canada, however, was able to tie it up six minutes later with a goal by forward Sam Bennett, assisted by winger Mitch Marner.
A game with this much buildup and tension was bound to go into overtime, and there was no way either team would go down without a fight. During the sudden death overtime, Canada’s goaltender Jordan Binnington stopped multiple potential game-winning shots, robbing both Brady Tkachuk and Auston Matthews of their glory.
With goaltender Connor Hellebuyck in between the pipes for the United States, fans and players were able to rest easy until they could not. Hellebuyck has made his case for the Vezina Trophy this season and defended it in the 4 Nations tournament. Hellebuyck blocked 22 shots in regulation time and three more in overtime. It was a face-off in the US zone and an assist from Marner, however, that set Canadian center Connor McDavid up for the game-winner.
Despite the United States’ dominating win over Canada on Feb. 15, history always repeats itself. Team Canada has won five out of its six international best-on-best tournaments, including three in a row, in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. On the other hand, the United States has not won an international best-on-best final since 1996, when they took a best-of-three win over Canada.
Canada’s victory in the 4 Nations Face-Off Tournament further cemented its dominance and notoriety in international hockey. Despite the heartbreak for Team USA, the tournament showcased the immense talent, passion, and intensity that make hockey one of the most thrilling sports in the world. With record-breaking viewership and unforgettable moments, the 4 Nations Face-Off proved an undeniable success, sparking excitement for future best-on-best international competitions.