In the first best-on-best matchup between Team USA and Canada in nine years, the United States pulled out a 3-1 win in the 4 Nations Face-Off Saturday night in Montreal. A fiery start led to a thrilling finish, and Team USA was able to hang on and punch its ticket to the championship game on Thursday in Boston.
With almost a decade between games for these elite hockey programs, this was a highly-anticipated matchup, and it delivered on that hype immediately. After a raucous Bell Centre booed the American national anthem for the second time in three nights, things got off to a physical start with three fights in the first nine seconds.
USA vs. Canada hockey: Three fights off of puck drop after American national anthem draws boos at 4 Nations
Austin Nivison
Once the teams got most of that animosity out of their systems, the U.S. was able to pull out its first win over Canada in a major tournament since the 2010 Olympics. In a low-scoring affair, Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin tallied the game-winning goal when he capitalized on a 2-on-1 by slipping a shot under the arm of Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington.
From there, the Americans just tried not to give the Canadians' deep stable of elite forwards too many quality scoring chances. When Canada did break through, two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck was there to make some big saves.
Hellebuyck gave up the first goal of the game, a perfectly placed backhand by a zooming Connor McDavid first period, but he was perfect after that. The Americans' goaltending edge was on full display, especially as they tried to hold onto their one-goal lead late.
Jake Guentzel had the other two tallies for Team USA, including the empty-netter. His first was an answer to McDavid's first-period goal by sliding a shot through the five hole of Binnington. It was a tough goal for Binnington to allow, and it wound up being the difference in the game.
Team USA has now clinched a spot in Thursday's championship game, and Canada is tied with Finland and Sweden at two points each. The final games of the round robin are on Monday. Canada will play Finland, and Team USA will take on Sweden.
Rivalry reignited
If anyone was questioning whether fans or players really cared about this tournament, I'd direct their attention to the first 10 seconds of the opening period. These rivals hadn't played a true best-on-best game in nine years, and it took no time to get the juices flowing again.
The Bell Centre was on fire as the national anthems were sung ("The Star-Spangled Banner" was audibly booed -- again), and the players fed off that energy. In the first nine seconds of the game, there were three fights with both Tkachuk brothers dropping the gloves against Brandon Hagel and Sam Bennett, and JT Miller went toe-to-toe with Colton Parayko.
Nine years of anticipation boiled over into an entire boxing card.
Once the teams dispensed with throwing fists and got down to business, the hockey was just as entertaining as the tilts. The best players in the world, most of whom would usually be giving 50% in an All-Star game at this time of year, were going all out with national pride on the line.
There was a frenzied pace, offensive skill, lockdown defense and exceptional goaltending. The fact that hockey fans didn't get to see this matchup for nearly a decade is criminal because the diehard fans will tune in every time, and casual fans will be drawn in by the big names and intensity of the rivalry.
The 4 Nations Face-Off has been a rousing success so far, and the only way it gets any better is if we get another chapter of this rivalry series in the championship game.
America's edge in the crease
Coming into this tournament, it was clear that Team USA had an advantage in net. Connor Hellebuyck, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner is the best goalie in the world, and he lived up to that billing on Saturday night.
Hellebuyck gave up the first goal of the game, but it was hardly his fault. The list of goaltenders who would even have a chance to stop a perfectly placed shot by a speeding Connor McDavid is incredibly short. After that, Hellebuyck was perfect, and he made one critical save after another when Canada tried to make a big offensive push.
In the process of backstopping the Americans to a win, Hellebuyck also allowed one goal on 3.36 expected goals against, per Natural Stat Trick. That type of goaltending can win any team a lot of games, especially one with as much talent as Team USA.
Now contrast Hellebuyck's performance with that of his Canadian counterpart, Jordan Binnington, who surrendered two goals on 22 shots against. The first American goal was a shot that just snuck through the five hole of Binnington off the rush. The second one was a well-placed shot that just beat Binnington to his blocker side.
When going up against a goaltender of Hellebuyck's caliber, there is no room for error. Binnington wasn't awful but one or two mistakes is enough to hand the Americans a win when Hellebuyck is at his peak.
Dylan Larkin's impact
Jake Guentzel was named the first star of the game with two goals, but Dylan Larkin's impact was just as significant. Larkin tallied one goal and one assist, and he provided an offensive spark for Team USA when his line was on the ice.
Particularly through the first two periods, before the Americans went into a tight defensive shell, Larkin was all over place in the offensive zone. Eventually, Larkin was rewarded for his effort with a goal in the second period.
A confluence of events -- a poorly-timed change by the Canadians, a rare Sidney Crosby turnover and a great heads-up play by Matt Boldy -- sprung Larkin on an odd-man rush. Larkin's trademark speed gave him some space with which to work, and his perfectly placed shot beat Binnington for the game-winning goal.
Larkin thrived in a bottom-six role for the Americans, and they'll need more of that if they want to win this tournament. Their forward depth is a strength, and Larkin's performance against Canada was a perfect example of that.
As an aside, this type of thing is what makes this tournament so fun. Larkin has only played in five career playoff games, all the way back in 2016, and his skillset needs to be appreciated by a broader audience. The 4 Nations Face-Off provided him with that opportunity, and he's seized it.
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