United States, Canada head to sudden-death overtime in 4 Nations Face-Off final

By Canadian Press on February 20, 2025.

BOSTON (AP) — The United States and Canada headed to sudden-death overtime at the 4 Nations Face-Off on Thursday night as the North American rivals turned what had been a tune-up for the 2026 Olympics into an geopolitical brawl over anthems and annexation as much as international hockey supremacy.

Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson scored for the Americans, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 22 shots in regulation. Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett scored for Canada, with Jordan Binnington making 25 saves in the first three periods.

As with an NHL playoff game, the teams returned to their locker rooms at the end of regulation to return for a series of 20-minute, full-strength overtime periods until someone scores a game-winner.

The already ripe rivalry took on an added intensity with the cross-border animosity following President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state. Trump called the American team Thursday morning to wish it well, then turned to Truth Social to poke Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau with more annexation chatter.

The political backdrop combined with the quality of the round-robin game, which the United States won 3-1 on Saturday, to bring the atmosphere of a Stanley Cup Final or Olympic gold medal game to the TD Garden.

Fans in their team jerseys waved flags, shouted for their countrymen and continued the ritual booing of the opposing national anthem that has become an nightly undercard for what most agree has been one of the best international hockey competitions in decades.

The American fans chanted “U-S-A! U-S-A!” to spur on the home team; in the third period, a cheer of “Johnny Hockey! Johnny Hockey!” reminded the players that they were playing for the memory of former Boston College and Calgary Flames star Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed by a drunk driver while bicycling in New Jersey at his sister’s wedding last summer.

“Miracle on Ice” Olympic hero and honorary U.S. captain Mike Eruzione wore a Gaudreau jersey during a pregame ceremonial puck drop with Canadian counterpart Wayne Gretzky.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL

Jimmy Golen, The Associated Press