‘This sucks’: USA’s Brady Tkachuk reflects on 4 Nations Face-Off loss

Following Team USA’s 3-2 overtime loss to Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off final, USA forward Brady Tkachuk spoke with reporters after the game and reflected on the the championship game and the tournament.

“This sucks,” Tkachuk said in a post-game media scrum. “I thought this team deserved more. And we had chances there to finish it off. “

Tkachuk, who scored with three minutes to go in the first period to tie the game at one, finished the tournament with three goals.

“This has been some of my favorite hockey memories, just playing for this team, playing with this group. And this is gonna give us a nice motivation for a year’s time.”

Tkachuk, who is captain for the Ottawa Senators, says while he expected his team to win, their defeat sets the stage for next year’s 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

“Honestly, I was convinced we we’re gonna win. Everything happens for a reason. There’s a reason why we didn’t win tonight. Maybe in a year’s time, it goes the other way.”

The 25-year-old Tkachuk has 21 goals and 23 assists for 44 points and 101 penalty minutes in 56 games with the Senators this season. Taken No. 4 overall by Ottawa in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the Scottsdale, Ariz., native has been one of the league’s best power forwards in recent memory.

Through seven NHL seasons, Tkachuk has 183 goals and 210 assists for 393 points and 728 penalty minutes. Through his last three seasons, Tkachuk has scored 30+ goals and recorded 67, 83 and 74 points, respectively.

The Senators are 29-23-4 with 62 points, fourth in the Atlantic Division and holding on to the No. 1 Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

SPONSORED BY bet365