NHL
As an alternative to an All-Star game this season, the NHL devised a new 4 Nations Face-Off competition which features stars from the league representing their country in a national team competition.
The teams involved see representatives from the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden facing off at TD Garden in Boston and Bell Centre in Montreal.
With two wins from two games, Team USA have sealed a berth in Thursday’s final in Boston and now wait for the outcome from the third and final round of games to discover their opponent.
Monday, February. 17
Canada vs. Finland, 1 p.m. ET (TD Garden, Boston)
Sweden vs. United States, 8 p.m. ET (TD Garden, Boston)
The most eagerly game of the competition so far took place in Montreal on Saturday night where a packed house saw Team USA punched their ticket to the final of the NHL 4 Nations with a win over Team Canada.
Jake Guentzel scored twice with Larkin bagging the other goal for the Americans in a comeback win in a game that saw US goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves after Connor McDavid opened the scoring for Canada.
That was a fun day of hockey! #4Nations pic.twitter.com/D0nf6rqsuX
ESPN claim that the Montreal game averaged 4.4 million viewers peaking at 5.2 to become the most watched non Stanley Cup final ice hockey game since the 2019 when the Blue Jackets-Bruins game pulled in 4.5 million viewers.
Fans too have responded to the format with all four group stage games at Montreal’s Bell Centre being played in front of a sold-out crowd.
Reaction too on social media channels has been universally positive too with the competition accentuating the USA-Canada rivalry with relationship between both nations tense on a political level at present.
Both nations could meet again in the Boston final with a win over Sweden for the Canadians setting up another clash against Team USA.
Connor McDavid is still doing Connor McDavid things on an international stage 😱
📺: #4Nations Face-Off Canada vs. Finland tomorrow at 1p ET on @NHL_On_TNT, @SportsonMax, @Sportsnet, @TVASports. pic.twitter.com/rGvRXfqPOG
“Those games are fun to play. There’s so many people in Finland, in Sweden to watch these games”. “It’s great to come (out) on top, and at the same time we are alive in this tournament. Everything is in our own hands.” stated Finnish star Mikael Granlund.
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About the author
Paul Reidy
Irish native who switched from the music industry to the world of sport moving from Universal Music to AS in 2017. A keen runner, soccer player and now discovering the world's fastest growing sport of padel. A fútbol fanatic covering LaLiga, MLS, Liga MX and other offbeat stories from the global game. Can always be found rooting for the underdog.
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