- The 4 Nations Face-Off final took place between Canada and the United States on Thursday night in Boston.
- The Americans beat the Canadians 3-1 in Montreal last Saturday in round-robin action.
- Canada won the rematch in the final, edging the United States 3-2 in overtime via a Connor McDavid goal.
The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament came to a close on Thursday night in Boston. It would be decided in a rematch between Canada and the United States.
The Americans won the first game in round-robin action in Montreal. The Canadians returned the favor in the final as Connor McDavid gave his team a 3-2 win in overtime.
McDavid Ends Back-and-Forth Game, Binnington Steps Up in Goal
4 Nations betting odds had the Americans favored ahead of the game, but as of puck drop, both teams were even in the odds. In front of a raucous sellout crowd at the TD Garden in Boston, it was Canada who got the first goal as Nathan McKinnon scored at 4:48 of the first period.
But Brady Tkachuk responded for the Americans with just over three minutes. Jake Sanderson gave the Americans a foothold with a goal at 7:32 of the second period, but Sam Bennett tied it up at 14 minutes.
The third period was scoreless as neither team wanted to give an inch, so we went to overtime. Canada goalie Jordan Binnington made a couple of big stops off USA captain Auston Matthews to keep the Canadians in the game. Then, at 8:18 of overtime, Mitch Marner found Connor McDavid open in the slot.
Binnington stopped 31 shots for Canada, while American counterpart Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves. Canada’s Nathan McKinnon was named the tournament MVP, before captain Sidney Crosby got to lift the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy.
It was a fantastic end to the tournament, where players gave their all for their countries, and had fans clamoring for the next meeting between the two.
When will Canada and the United States Play Again?
The players will now head back to their teams and re-start their quest for the championship, where McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers top the Stanley Cup odds. But Canada and the United States won’t meet until the Olympics in 2026, which will be held in Italy.
You can expect these two to be atop the odds at Olympic betting sites for the hockey tournament, but both teams will also have to deal with Russia, which didn’t take part in the 4 Nations Face-Off. Sweden and Finland will also be in Italy in 2026.
But everyone will be waiting for another game between Canada and the United States. While Canada has a huge head-to-head advantage, the Americans proved they could play, and beat the Canadians. Many players from both teams will be there in 2026, and you can expect a really exciting tournament in Italy.
