MONTREAL — Matthew and Brady Tkachuk each scored twice as the United States thumped Finland 6-1 in the countries’ 4 Nations Face-Off opener Thursday.
Matt Boldy and Jake Guentzel also added a goal and an assist each for the Americans, who got 20 saves from Connor Hellebuyck. Zach Werenski chipped in three assists, while Jack Eichel had two of his own.
Matthew Tkachuk also registered an assist for a three-point night.
Henri Jokiharju replied for the Finns. Juuse Saros stopped 26 shots.
Canada defeated Sweden 4-3 in overtime in Wednesday’s curtain-raiser at the round-robin tournament that’s serving as an appetizer ahead of the NHL’s return to the Olympics in 2026.
The U.S. tops the standings with three points with the convincing regulation win followed by Canada (two), Sweden (one) and Finland (zero).
The Canadians and Americans will meet Saturday night after the Swedes and Finns play a matinee. The showcase then shifts to Boston for two games Monday before the final Feb. 20.
Some fans at the Bell Centre booed the American national anthem ahead of Thursday’s puck drop despite being asked to show respect to both the countries by the arena’s public address announcer.
Crowds at professional sporting events across Canada have jeered “The Star-Spangled Banner” at various points in recent weeks following tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The 4 Nations represents the closest men’s hockey has come to a best-on-best event since the 2016 World Cup. The NHL went to five straight Olympics between 1998 and 2014 before skipping the 2018 Games for financial reasons and cancelling plans in 2022 because of COVID-19 concerns.
Russia isn’t part of this tournament because of its ongoing war in Ukraine, while reigning world champion Czechia is also on the outside looking in thanks to a compressed competition window in the middle of the NHL schedule.
After his younger brother scored in the first period, Matthew Tkachuk put the U.S. up 3-1 on a power play 15 seconds into the third on a shot Saros should have stopped.
Guentzel then fired home the American’s next effort just 11 seconds after that before Brady Tkachuk buried his second of the night at exactly three minutes to put the game to bed.
The Finns opened Thursday’s scoring at 7:31 of the first when Jokiharju floated a knuckling shot that fooled Hellebuyck.
Brock Nelson hit the post before that breakthrough and Auston Matthews rattled the crossbar after the Americans fell behind, but Brady Tkachuk banked a shot in off Saros at 10:21.
The Finnish goaltender had to be sharp again later in the period when he stopped Noah Hanifin on a breakaway coming out of the penalty box.
Hellebuyck then had to be sharp on an Erik Haula break midway through the second.
Boldy put the U.S. up 2-1 with 2:56 left in the period when he tipped home a point shot off the stick of Minnesota Wild teammate Brock Faber before the floodgates opened in the third.
BOO BIRDS
The crowd at the Bell Centre once again greeted Matthews with boos in warm-ups when he was shown on the big screen.
The captain of both the U.S. squad and the Toronto Maple Leafs was also given a cool reception during Wednesday’s opening ceremony before Canada beat Sweden 4-3 in overtime.
“It’s all good,” Matthews said Thursday morning. “I was kind of expecting it.”
WORKING TOGETHER
The Finns have often punched well above their weight class at international tournaments against much larger hockey powers.
Aleksander Barkov said it comes down to commitment.
“Play together as a five-man unit,” said the captain of both his country and the Florida Panthers. “Offensively, defensively, we give everything we have and that needs to be our mindset every single shift.”
PRAISING CONNOR
Hellebuyck leads the NHL in wins (34), save percentage (. 925) and shutouts (six) this season with the Winnipeg Jets.
Eichel was asked if the netminder has all the tools of a modern goaltender.
“He moves well, he’s big, he tracks pucks well, athletic, he’s confident,” said Vegas Golden Knights centre. “He seems pretty even-keeled.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2025.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
