4 Nations Face-Off: Who needs to step up the most in championship game?
You thought the hype on Saturday night was crazy? Tonight’s going to be a whole other level.
The 4 Nations Face-Off concludes tonight with North American rivals Canada and the United States meeting up for a chance to win gold in Boston. It hasn’t been a long tournament, with the final being just the seventh game, but it’s been competitive, fun and with plenty of storylines for fans and media to mull over.
There are plenty of good MVP candidates to choose from – Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, Connor Hellebuyck and Jack Eichel are some of the best options. We should expect all of them to play big roles again tonight as tensions rise with everything is on the line.
But which players need to be at their best to help their respective teams win? Here’s a look at two from each of Canada and the United States who could be critical in helping their country take the top spot tonight:
CANADA
Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues)
For as much noise has been made about Binnington’s play in this tournament, he leads the tournament with a high-danger save percentage of .963 after stopping 26 of 27 chances (according to NHL EDGE data). He was great against the Finns, and while he allowed three goals in the final seven minutes (including twice with Finland boasting an extra player), it’s hard to blame him for that.
But what you can blame him for is the softer goals he allowed against Sweden and USA. Those have been well-documented, especially after the game against the United States. Binnington has shown the ability to bounce back from muffin goals on multiple occasions, so that’s a positive, at least. But they just can’t happen in the first place, especially in a title game against a goal-hungry United States team.
It was more than half a decade ago now, but Binnington proved he can stand tall when the pressure’s on at TD Garden. He made 38 saves against Boston in Game 5 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, marking his best game of the playoffs. When push came to shove in the final game, he stopped a further 32 to secure the deal. When Binnington needed to be great, he was – and that’s what Canada is hoping to get from him in the winner-take-all affair tonight.
Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights)
Stone was moved to McDavid’s line for the Finland game. Stone was a solid fit on that top line for his playmaking and hockey sense, but his average-at-best skating has been exposed at times. He at least wins puck battles and does a good job of getting the puck to McDavid. But this just hasn’t felt like a prime Mark Stone performance by any means.
Not everyone can play alongside someone of McDavid’s caliber. It takes a special understanding and skillset that few have managed to do effectively in the NHL. With McDavid and Point, Stone doesn’t need to be one scoring goals. As long as he keeps battling hard and getting the puck into scoring areas, he’ll be fine. Any extra offense would be excellent – he’s good in close around the net – but Canada needs that killer instinct that made him so dangerous early in the season. He might have had a quieter third game, but he can’t afford that tonight.
USA
Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Granted, Matthews hasn’t been 100 percent health-wise at this tourney. But he has continued to play a key role high in the lineup, so the coaching staff must still feel confident in him. At his best, Matthews is one of the best goal-scorers of his generation – as shown by his three Rocket Richard Trophies. But through two games, Matthews is still seeking his first goal. He had an assist in the opener against Finland, but didn’t even get a shot on net against Canada – and his two on Finland weren’t particularly eye-opening. While injuries have limited his overall game action this season (he also missed Monday’s game against Sweden), he just hasn’t looked like he did when he put up 69 goals a year ago.
If the United States is going to come out on top, Matthews is going to need to play the biggest game of the tournament – especially after the Tkachuk brothers were banged up. He’s been criticized for not pulling through in games that matter and has just one playoff series victory to his credit. This would be an outstanding time to give USA the scoring boost it needs, with the team nabbing just three even-strength goals over the past two games.
Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils)
Hughes is well on his way to his second 90-point season in the NHL as a leader with the Devils. But through three games, the Orlando, Florida-born forward has just one assist, coming against Finland in the 6-1 opener. Offensively, he’s been quiet, but many have applauded his defensive game being a valuable asset for the Americans, and it’s hard to argue that. While Jake Guentzel proved dangerous with the puck against Canada, Hughes was solid on the opposite wing away from the puck.
But the Devils don’t pay him $8 million to be a good defensive forward. This would be an excellent time for the 23-year-old to come alive and score one of the biggest goals of his life. Hughes was part of the stacked 2001-born age group from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He won a ton of medals, including gold at the 2017 U-17 World Challenge – but he hasn’t taken home the top prize in anything since. For that to happen in Boston, USA is going to need Hughes to take another step in his game offensively that we just haven’t seen yet.
Daily Faceoff Live is on the road! From February 10th to 20th, we’re bringing you live shows every weekday straight from Four Nations, delivering exclusive coverage, insider analysis, and all the tournament action as it unfolds. Don’t miss a beat—subscribe to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow us on social for the latest updates. It’s international hockey, so expect intensity, excitement, and maybe even a little chaos. Stay locked in and catch us live from Four Nations!
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