Matthew, Brady each scores twice, Werenski has 3 assists in win
USA at Finland | Recap | 4 Nations Face-Off
MONTREAL — Brady and Matthew Tkachuk each scored two goals, and the United States pulled away in the third period, defeating Finland 6-1 in the first game for both teams in the 4 Nations Face-Off at Bell Centre on Thursday.
Jake Guentzel and Matt Boldy also had a goal and an assist each, Zach Werenski had three assists, Jack Eichel had two, and Connor Hellebuyck made 20 saves for the U.S. (1-0-0-0). Matthew Tkachuk also had an assist.
Henri Jokiharju scored the first goal of the game, but Juuse Saros (26 saves) allowed six straight after that for Finland (0-0-0-1).
The regulation win gives the United States a tournament-leading three points after all four teams played a game. Canada (0-1-0-0) earned two points from its 4-3 overtime win against Sweden (0-0-1-0) on Wednesday. The Swedes got one point for the overtime loss. Finland has zero.
The tournament continues Saturday with a doubleheader at Bell Centre: Finland against Sweden at 1 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS), and Canada against the United States at 8 p.m. ET (ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).
Jokiharju gave Finland a 1-0 lead at 7:31 of the first period.
The U.S. tied it 1-1 on Brady Tkachuk‘s first goal at 10:22. He fumbled Boldy’s pass to him into the slot but got the puck to the left of the net and banked a shot in off Saros.
Coach Mike Sullivan adjusted the U.S. forward lines midway through the second period, putting the Tkachuks together on Eichel’s wings and shifting Kyle Connor to play with Boldy and J.T. Miller.
It worked.
Boldy made it 2-1 at 17:04. He set up in the high slot and deflected Minnesota Wild teammate Brock Faber’s shot from the right point down and through Saros’ legs.
The U.S. scored three goals in the first three minutes of the third period.
Matthew Tkachuk cashed in on a power play that carried over from the second period, making it 3-1 at 15 seconds. He scored with a glove-side shot from above the right face-off circle that appeared to change directions off the stick of Finland defenseman Niko Mikkola, fooling Saros.
Eleven seconds later, Guentzel made it 4-1. He scored on the rush from the left circle off a pass from Auston Matthews.
The two goals in 11 seconds tied an NHL international tournament record for fastest consecutive goals scored by one team, set by the U.S. against Finland in the 1991 Canada Cup.
Brady Tkachuk extended the lead to 5-1 at 3:00 when he took a pass from Eichel and scored after making a move to his backhand. Matthew had the second assist.
Matthew’s power-play goal at 11:13 made it 6-1.
Canada, Finland, Sweden, United States go head-to-head Feb. 12-20 in Montreal, Boston
