In this story:
Despite dropping the round-robin contest to Team USA, Team Canada got their revenge in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game with a thrilling overtime win. Edmonton Oilers superstar forward Connor McDavid sealed the deal in OT, but it was one of his superstar teammates who took home tournament Most Valuable Player.
With four goals in the tournament, including the first tally of the championship game, Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon was voted as the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament MVP. He may not have recorded an assist, but all four of his goals were huge for Canada in pushing Team Canada to a championship.
MVP Nathan MacKinnon sounds a bit familiar. #GoAvsGo | #4Nations pic.twitter.com/jme5Fbj58y
MacKinnon is also the current reigning Hart Trophy winner as the NHL's MVP. He picked up 140 points (51G-89A) in 81 games played last season. He currently leads the NHL in points with 87 (21G-66A) in 57 games played.
Tensions were sky-high heading into the championship game and Team Canada showed why hockey is still their sport. Thanks to the work of MacKinnon, McDavid, and captain Sidney Crosby, Canada can add a new form of hardware to their collection.
Team Canada took a 3-2 overtime win in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game. MacKinnon opened the scoring early in the first period and went on to play 20:31 of ice time and notched five shots on goal.
Players will now turn their attention back to their NHL squads as the playoff race is set to heat up. Next up for international hockey is the long-awaited return of NHLers at the Olympic Games.
NHL players are set to participate in the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, and Canada is sure to enter as the favorites once again.
Make sure you bookmark Breakaway On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!
Loading recommendations… Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations
Nick Horwat is a contributor with Breakaway On SI. He was previously a credentialed reporter for The Hockey News covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A Pittsburgh native, Nick graduated from Point Park University and started reporting on news and sports with KDKA Radio and 93.7 The Fan. After hosting a Penguins talk radio show in college, he morphed the show into a podcast. The Tip of the Ice-Burgh Podcast has been a leading Penguins podcast since 2019. Follow him on Twitter @NickHorwat41.
© 2026 2024 ABG-SI LLC – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
Hockey News