MONTREAL — Beginning with three fights within the first 9 seconds and ending with a celebration and a spot within the 4 Nations Face-Off ultimate, america delivered precisely what Matthew Tkachuk hoped for by beating Canada on Saturday evening.
“We wanted to ship a message,” Tkachuk mentioned. “The message we wished to ship is ‘It’s our time.’”
Tkachuk fought Brandon Hagel off the opening faceoff, brother Brady tussled with Sam Bennett the following time the puck dropped, J.T. Miller dropped the gloves with Colton Parayko subsequent and the Individuals adopted these fisticuffs with a 3-1 victory over their greatest rival.
“That was among the finest experiences of my life — simply an unbelievable hockey recreation,” mentioned Dylan Larkin, who scored the go-ahead purpose within the second interval. “The Tkachuk brothers and Millsy, what a begin, and credit score to these guys for answering the bell. And the group, only a nice evening for our sport and an incredible evening for this rivalry.”
Performed at a blistering tempo with physicality all through, probably the most anticipated recreation of 4 Nations round-robin play didn’t disappoint, from the fisticuffs off the opening faceoff to massive hits from Charlie McAvoy on Canadian star Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid and quite a lot of very important saves by Connor Hellebuyck amongst his 24. And the U.S. confirmed it may sustain with Canada’s velocity, ability and expertise within the first worldwide event with the NHL’s finest gamers in almost a decade.
“What an unbelievable hockey recreation,” U.S. coach Mike Sullivan mentioned.
All of it unfolded in opposition to the backdrop of uneasy tensions between the North American neighbors and longtime allies, with many followers within the sellout crowd of 21,105 at Bell Centre loudly booing all through the pregame rendition of the U.S. anthem. That spilled onto the ice as quickly because the puck was dropped, with Matthew Tkachuk asking Brandon Hagel to drop the gloves and the fourth-line Canada winger participating within the combat two seconds in.
Brother Brady Tkachuk did the identical with Bennett the second the puck was dropped on the following faceoff three seconds in. Miller cross-checked Parayko and the 2 went at it to make it a trio of bouts within the early going.
The thought got here from a bunch chat involving the Tkachuk brothers and Miller. Canada coach Jon Cooper referred to as the primary minute purely “mayhem.”
“It was, I assume, 10 years of no worldwide hockey exhaled in a minute and a half,” Cooper mentioned.
The old-school pugilism didn’t go nice early for the U.S., with the Tkachuks within the penalty field for the primary 5 minutes. McDavid accelerated across the high defensive pair of McAvoy and Zach Werenski and roofed a backhander over Hellebuyck that few goaltenders round would have the ability to cease.
However Canada’s questions in internet continued when Jake Guentzel beat Jordan Binnington five-hole halfway via the primary interval to tie it. And the perpetually dependable captain Canada, Crosby, made a uncommon mistake with a turnover that, mixed with a nasty line change, paved the best way for Larkin to attain on a 2-on-1 previous the halfway mark of regulation.
“He’s not afraid to shoot it,” Brady Tkachuk mentioned. “He’s received an incredible shot, and it ended up being the game-winner.”
Binnington round that play made some well timed stops, and Canada — with out high defenseman Cale Makar due to sickness — had loads of probabilities to tie it however couldn’t get the puck previous Hellebuyck once more. Guentzel scored into an empty internet with 1:19 left to seal it, and the outcome places an all-world roster led by McDavid, Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon in a must-win state of affairs Monday in opposition to Finland.
“It’s sort of like a Sport 7,” McDavid mentioned. “A whole lot of guys on this room have been in that state of affairs earlier than. Obtained to get a win.”
The U.S. has nothing to play for in opposition to Sweden that evening, however there’s concern about Matthew Tkachuk after he didn’t end the sport due to what Sullivan referred to as a lower-body harm.
“I really feel good,” Tkachuk mentioned, disregarding the harm. “Positively means higher after a win. Must be all good.”
Up subsequent
The event shifts to at TD Backyard in Boston for video games Monday, with Canada ending round-robin play in opposition to Finland at 1 p.m. and the U.S. in opposition to Sweden at 8 p.m.
