Pictured: Team Canada. Photo Credit: Hockey Canada/Facebook
Dare I say, ‘get your popcorn ready!’
If three fights in nine seconds in the preliminary round wasn’t enough, Canada’s 5-3 victory over Finland on Monday afternoon, guaranteed the Canadians a rematch in the 4 Nations Face-off Final against the United States Thursday night.
After legendary MMA fighter, and Quebec native, Georges St-Pierre introduced Canada in Montreal, forward Brandon Hagel and U.S. counterpart Matthew Tkachuk fought two seconds into the game.
Canadian forward Sam Bennett then dropped the mitts with Brady Tkachuk one second later off the ensuing faceoff, Six seconds after that it was Canadian defenseman Colton Parayko and U.S. forward J.T. Miller.
Throw in the fact Thursday’s final will be played south of the border in Boston, Massachusetts and the anticipation grows.
Canada had not suffered a best-on-best loss since the preliminary round of the 2010 Olympics when the United States beat them before dropping the rematch in the gold-medal game in Vancouver. Canada also claimed the gold medal at the 2014 Olympics and 2016 World Cup.
The United States finished fourth in 2014 in Sochi and went winless in 2016 in Toronto. At both those events, the Americans suffered losses to Canada.
Thursday’s game could be a ‘where were you moment’ in hockey history.
“You’re going to see two really evenly-matched teams go at it,” Team Canada Head Coach Jon Cooper said. “The city of Boston is going to be treated to something special Thursday night.”
Nathan Mackinnon, who scored two goals against Finland on Monday, offered this:
“We feel like we could beat those guys. We plan on playing a little better on Thursday.”
The United States, who were without a number of regulars including all-world netminder Connor Hellebuyck and captain Auston Matthews, actually dropped a 2-1 decision to Sweden on Monday.
“From the get-go, I thought that first game kind of put everybody on notice that this wasn’t just a walk-in-the-park tournament, that this was something the players have wanted and are taking very seriously…”
“It’s been high intensity, high level, physical. I mean, it’s been playoff-like hockey.”
“We’re here to win,” said Matthews.
“That’s about it. That’s the bottom line is we’re here to win.”
Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby is expecting another physical affair Thursday.
“Obviously, you look at the last game, the intensity,” said Crosby who scored the empty-netter Thursday to preserve the Canadians victory over Finland.
“Both teams got to know each other pretty well pretty quickly. Yeah, it’ll be a great challenge.”
Cale Makar, considered by most the best defenseman in the tournament, returned to Canada’s lineup Monday.
Matthews and Hellebuyck will be back for the United States, while super pest, but skilled Matthew Tkachuk is a question mark with a lower body injury.
Tkachuk’s quote after the Americans 3-1 win Saturday was likely worthy of bulletin board material for the Canadians..
“The message we wanted to send is it’s our time,” Tkachuk said.
Canada’s game, or the United States time?
We’ll know by 11 pm EST Thursday night.
Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.
