Canada Secures Rematch With USA in 4 Nations Final Following 5-3 Win over Finland – The Hockey Writers 4 Nations Face-off Latest News, Analysis & More

Team Canada will get an opportunity to avenge its loss to the United States of America in the round-robin portion of the 4 Nations Face-Off with a rematch in the championship game. Canada defeated Finland 5-3 behind a three-goal outburst in the opening 20 minutes. Forwards Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon were instrumental in the victory. Jordan Binnington’s 23 saves secured the win despite some nervous late moments. The highly-charged duel between Team USA and Canada will occur Thursday night in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Game Recap

A quick Canadian left-right scoring punch put Finland in an early multi-goal disadvantage five minutes into the game. Canada’s McDavid (2) beat Finland’s goalie Kevin Lankinen‘s glove side for a 1-0 lead at 4:13 of the opening period. Finland’s Roope Hintz flung the puck into an open area on an attempted clearance. However, it was captured by Canada’s star center before he circled to an open space to create the shooting chance against a scrambling Finnish defensive line. 

Related: Guide to the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off

Forty-six seconds later, MacKinnon (2) ripped a shot past Lankinen on a breakaway for a 2-0 lead. Canadian forward Sam Bennett pushed the puck into an open area, allowing MacKinnon to use his speed burst to grab the loose object. The Colorado Avalanche star moved to his backhand and beat the Finnish goalie blocker side for a quick 2-0 lead for Canada. 

Finland’s coach, Antti Pennanen, used his timeout to settle the game down, which generated a solid push over the next handful of minutes, but it was Canada celebrating the game’s next goal. Braydon Point dunked a rebound across the goal line for a 3-0 lead with six minutes remaining in the opening frame. McDavid located defenseman Travis Sanheim joining the rush, creating a scoring opportunity when the blueliner ripped a low shot at Lankinen’s pads. 

Early in the second period, MacKinnon added his third goal of the tournament on a one-time feed from Sidney Crosby to extend the Canadian advantage to 4-0. Finland swapped to goaltender Juuse Saros to guard the net for the remainder of the contest following the Canadian celebration. In the end, it was an adjustment made too late to impact the loss.

Sidney Crosby Nathan MacKinnon #4Nations https://t.co/g3nK6X2AO8 pic.twitter.com/mKOMosnysM

— NHL (@NHL) February 17, 2025

Finland’s Esa Lindell (1) erased the shutout at 13:39 of the third period on a slick snapshot that ricocheted off the left post before finding the net. Finnish forward Arturri Lehkonen kept the play alive along the side boards before passing over Lindell for Finland’s opening score. Saros was pulled for the extra skater with over four minutes remaining and trailing three goals. Patrick Laine scored with 100 seconds remaining, resulting in a 4-2 lead on a shot that sailed through Binnington’s pads. Finland was not done yet – Mikael Granlund, the OT hero against Sweden, scored 23 seconds later to trim the lead to one at 4-3.

Crosby (1) sealed the game for Canada with an empty net goal from center ice. The Pittsburgh Penguins pivot collected a puck at the 4 Nations Face-Off logo before sending it the length of the way into the empty net for his 21st goal as a member of the national hockey team. 

Tournament Scoring Leaders

With his empty-net tally, Crosby jumps atop the 4 Nations Face-Off leaderboard with five points behind a goal and four assists. A pair of teammates, McDavid and MacKinnon, are close behind with four points in three games. Team USA’s Jake Guentzel and Zach Werenski both have four points and have an opportunity to join Crosby in the leaderboard penthouse tonight against Sweden in the final round-robin game of the tournament.