* The 4 Nations Face-Off shifts to Boston for its three-game finale, with all teams still in contention entering a decisive doubleheader that begins with Canada and Finland at 1 p.m. ET (TNT, Max, truTV, Sportsnet, TVA Sports) and closes with Sweden and USA at 8 p.m. ET. The Americans already have a spot secured in Thursday’s final as they get set to host an NHL International Tournament game for the first time in more than 20 years.
* Canada and Finland have identical clinching scenarios Monday: win in regulation to advance to the final against USA, or win in overtime/shootout and hope for any result other than a regulation win by Sweden in the nightcap.
* Sweden will be closely following the matinee for its clinching scenario: if it reaches overtime, the country will clinch a spot in the final – and a rematch with the Americans – by securing a regulation win.
FINLAND VS. CANADA COULD DETERMINE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME MATCHUP
Finland and Canada will go head-to-head at an NHL International Tournament for the sixth time, as the Finns seek their first-ever victory in those matchups – Canada has won four of five to date, and the teams tied 2-2 at the 1991 Canada Cup. This will be the second time the teams meet in a potential elimination game for either side, with the only other instance coming in their last meeting when Canada defeated Finland in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey final.
* Canada has played for the title in all eight previous NHL International Tournaments, including two head-to-heads with USA – winning the 1991 Canada Cup and losing the 1996 World Cup of Hockey – and six championships (1976 CC, 1984 CC, 1987 CC, 1991 CC, 2004 WCH, 2016 WCH).
* Finland is seeking its second trip to the final at an NHL International Tournament, with the 2004 appearance their only one to date. In 20 major international tournaments played since the last World Cup of Hockey was awarded, Finland ranks second to only Canada for appearances in championship/gold medal games (includes Olympic Winter Games, World Championship, World Junior Championship and 4 Nations Face-Off). Kevin Lankinen (2019 WC) and Mikael Granlund (2022 WC) – the winning goaltender and OT hero from Saturday – have both dashed Canada’s hopes for a gold medal in recent years.
* The 2004 meeting between these nations pitted the tournament’s top two goaltenders against each other as a 30-save effort from Finland’s Miikka Kiprusoff was not enough to prevent the Canadians from returning to the winner’s podium as Martin Brodeur claimed his tournament-best fifth win and closed atop the goals-against average (1.00) and save percentage (.961) lists. Captained by 38-year-old Mario Lemieux, Canada opened the scoring just 52 seconds into the contest when Lemieux threaded a cross-ice pass to set up Joe Sakic. That turned out to be the last international point of Lemieux’s career, and the championship-clinching victory his last appearance in a Canadian jersey.
SWEDEN’S 4 NATIONS FATE TIED TO OVERTIME OUTCOME IN MATINEE
Sweden could know its 4 Nations fate before their third round-robin game begins, but if the Canada-Finland game extends past regulation – like half the games have so far – then the Tre Kronor will need a regulation win vs. USA to advance to the final.
* Sweden has reached the playoff round/championship game in six consecutive NHL International Tournaments dating to the 1984 Canada Cup. Canada is the only other nation to accomplish the feat during that stretch.
* Sweden is seeking its second trip to the final at an NHL International Tournament, with their only appearance coming more than 40 years ago in the best-of-three 1984 Canada Cup final.
* Sweden last played for a championship/gold medal at a senior men’s international tournament (NHL tournaments, Olympic Winter Games, World Championship) in 2018 when the nation reached the decisive contest in the World Championship (win vs. Switzerland). That came four months after the junior squad reached the gold medal game of the World Junior Championship (loss vs. Canada). Ten members of its 4 Nations roster were part of at least one of those runs to the final.
* Since Sweden’s gold at the 2018 World Championship, the nation has found success at the junior level – they have played for gold in three of the past five Under-18 World Championships, with Lucas Raymond (2019) and Leo Carlsson (2022) helping them secure two championships (loss to USA in 2023).
* Entering Monday, the only player outside of the USA or Canadian rosters with more than two points at the tournament is Raymond (0-3—3 in 2 GP), who will go toe-to-toe against his Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin (GWG vs. Canada). Raymond’s three assists are one back of Zach Werenski (USA) for the 4 Nations Face-Off lead, and tied for the third-most in one NHL International Tournament by a Swedish player age 22 or younger (details included in this graphic showing most points from the same cohort).
USA RETURNS HOME TO FACE SWEDEN, AWAITS CHAMPIONSHIP OPPONENT
After a pair of regulation wins in Montreal, including a 3-1 victory over Canada on Saturday to secure the first spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off final, USA will either enter its game Monday knowing its opponent in Thursday’s final (Canada or Finland), or face Sweden knowing a regulation defeat would set up a rematch with the championship on the line.
* This will be the first-ever NHL International Tournament game in Boston – home of the NHL’s oldest U.S. franchise. There have been 18 NHL International Tournament games contested in the United States, including 17 involving the host Americans: USA has claimed 11 wins, five losses (including one in OT during the 1996 WCH final) and one tie. The only contest in the country not involving USA was between Canada and Sweden at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
* USA and Sweden have only faced off on U.S. soil once before, with USA winning a round-robin contest 6-3 at Civic Arena in Pittsburgh during the 1991 Canada Cup, en route to a final appearance against Canada.
* Keith Tkachuk, the father of USA’s Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, has the only two hat tricks by an American player at an NHL International Tournament and both came on home soil. He recorded 4-1—5 in the quarterfinals against Russia at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey (the country’s last victory in the U.S.) and 3-1—4 in a round-robin game against Slovakia played at Madison Square Garden in New York during the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. The Tkachuk brothers each recorded a multi-goal game in USA’s opener against Finland on Thursday.
BOSTON PRIDE HOCKEY THRILLED TO HIT ICE IN SECOND NHL PRIDE CUP AT 4 NATIONS
Members of Boston Pride Hockey took the ice at the Bruins’ practice facility for the second installment of the NHL Pride Cup on Sunday. Team White, coached by Madison Packer and featuring Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Mullen, skated to a 5-4 victory against Team Blue in what was a competitive event promoting equality and inclusion in hockey. A $25,000 donation to the Boston Pride Hockey scholarship fund was presented along with the Pride Cup trophy. Read more from Derek Van Diest on NHL.com.
FAN EVENTS IN MONTREAL, BOSTON A DRAW
On Feb. 15, 20,000 fans visited the 4 Nations Fan Festival in Montreal and 4 Nations Face-Off Fan Village in Boston to celebrate an incredible day of international best on best hockey with nearly two dozen 4 Nations Face-Off partners creating fun-filled activations to thrill fans. Fans in Boston have one more day to visit the fan village which is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday at Boston City Hall Plaza.
QUICK CLICKS
* 4 Nations Face-Off gives Europeans chance to speak in native language
* Jake Guentzel proving to be ‘high-stakes player’ for U.S. at 4 Nations Face-Off
* United States looks ‘to keep this thing rolling’ following win against Canada
* Lucas Raymond displaying maturity, work ethic for Sweden at 4 Nations Face-Off
* NHL EDGE stats: 4 Nations Face-Off leaders
* USA-Canada delivers 4.4M viewers; most-viewed non-Stanley Cup Final hockey telecast since 2019
