U.S. defeats Canada in fight-filled game in Montreal to clinch spot in 4 Nations Face-Off final
Showdown opens with 3 fights in first 9 seconds after crowd boos American anthem
Canada and the United States have been involved in plenty of heated moments on hockey's international stage.
The 1996 World Cup. The men's gold-medal game at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Spirited, back-and-forth finals between the women's programs.
The rivalry reached a new — and nasty — level Saturday.
Dylan Larkin scored the winner in the second period and added an assist as the U.S. beat Canada 3-1 after a punch-filled start that saw three fights within nine seconds to kick off the countries' electric matchup at the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal.
Canadian head coach Jon Cooper said the chaotic opening topped Wednesday's tournament curtain-raiser that saw NHL great Mario Lemieux receive a raucous pre-game ovation before the country's 4-3 overtime victory against Sweden.
"That was as organic as it gets," he said. "I guess 10 years of no international hockey exhaled in a minute-and-a-half."
"Mayhem," Cooper added later when asked to describe Saturday in one word.
WATCH l 3 fights in 9 seconds to open U.S.-Canada game:
Jake Guentzel chipped in two goals of his own, including one into an empty net, for the Americans. Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves.
"Very indicative of what this means to the players," U.S. head coach Mike Sullivan said of the angst. "Incredible hockey game."
Connor McDavid replied for the Canadians, who were minus No. 1 defenceman Cale Makar because of illness. Jordan Binnington stopped 20 shots.
The U.S., which hammered Finland 6-1 two nights earlier, clinched a spot in Thursday's final in Boston with a second consecutive regulation victory that gives the country six points through a pair of contests.
WATCH l Larkin scores go-ahead goal against Canada:
Canada, Sweden and Finland each have two points at an event that represents the closest men's hockey has come to best-on-best since the 2016 World Cup.
The NHL went to five straight Olympics from 1998 through 2014 before skipping 2018 for financial reasons. The league then withdrew from the 2022 Games because of COVID-19 worries.
The round-robin showcase that's serving as an appetizer to the NHL's return to the Olympics next year now shifts to TD Garden for a pair of games Monday — Canada versus Finland, Sweden versus U.S. — before Thursday's final.
Canada will need a regulation victory against the Finns to guarantee a rematch with its southern nemesis.
"Kind of like a Game 7," McDavid said. "A lot of guys in this room have been in that situation before."
WATCH l McDavid opens scoring:
After legendary MMA fighter Georges St-Pierre introduced the home side and the deafening Bell Centre crowd once again lustily booed the American national anthem before belting out "O Canada" in full voice before puck drop, forward Brandon Hagel and U.S. counterpart Matthew Tkachuk fought two seconds into the first period.
"We needed to send a message," Tkachuk said. "We want it to be our time."
Hagel, who isn't known for fighting, said he wasn't about to back down.
"A little bit of the talk was these guys are going to take over the Canadian way," he said. "But I'm not gonna let it happen."
Canadian forward Sam Bennett and Brady Tkachuk of the U.S. then dropped the gloves one second later with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looking on from the stands.
"It's not many times you get to suit up and fight for your country," Bennett said. "Just a couple guys that wanted to go to battle."
The teams played the next six seconds without fisticuffs before defenceman Colton Parayko fought U.S. winger J.T. Miller to more raucous approval inside the crackling rink.
"Really cool to be a part of," McDavid said. "To see those three guys go at it obviously shows how much it means to both teams. Everybody was raring to go."
"A lot of emotion, a lot of intensity," Canadian captain Sidney Crosby added. "That's what we expected."
Matthew Tkachuk said it wasn't about fans booing the anthem: "That's called me, Brady and Millsy in a group chat."
Fans boo U.S. anthem
A number of fans also booed the U.S. anthem Thursday, continuing a trend at Canadian professional sporting events after President Donald Trump announced potentially crippling tariffs and continues to muse about the country's northern neighbour becoming its 51st state.
WATCH l American anthem booed ahead of U.S.-Canada game:
Saturday's action finally pivoted to hockey — and players on both sides finished every check with punishing vigour.
McDavid opened the scoring by roofing a backhand on Hellebuyck at 5:31 of the first to nearly blow the top off the rink.
Guentzel tied it at 10:15 on a five-hole shot Binnington will want back, but the goaltender redeemed himself on a power play later in the period when he denied the American forward from in tight.
"It's about that next one," Binnington said. "Perseverance and resiliency."
Larkin, who hit the post earlier in the second, quickly took advantage of an uncharacteristic Crosby turnover and beat Binnington by the blocker on a 2-on-1 at 13:33.
McDavid had a chance on Hellebuyck from the slot with under eight minutes left in regulation that he held onto with Crosby lurking.
Canada pulled Binnington with under two minutes to go with McDavid, Crosby and MacKinnon on the attack, but Guentzel iced it into the empty next with 1:19 remaining before American fans chanted "U-S-A! U-S-A!" with the clock ticking down.
"The result's unfortunate," Cooper said. "But I don't think anybody can leave that building and say that team didn't stick up for each other, care for each other, and play with a passion. And when you do have that, the ceiling is limitless what the team can do. I'm extremely proud of the guys.
"Now it's on us here to tweak some things and find a way to beat Finland."
