It took a few periods to open things up, but the United States eventually took over and dominated Finland in their opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. The American squad took down Finland by a final score of 6-1 after exploding for four goals in the final period.
The Tkachuk brothers led the United States to victory in their opening matchup. Matthew, the Florida Panthers superstar, was named the First Star of the Game, while his younger brother Brady, the captain of the Ottawa Senators, was named the Second Star. It was an easy choice, considering the siblings combined for four goals, five points, and 13 of the team's 32 shots on goal against Finland. There was little debate about the best players for the United States in this contest.
What stood out about Matthew's performance was how much damage he did on the power play. The Americans struggled in the first period with the man advantage, but Tkachuk took a much more aggressive net-front approach in the second and third frames, and it led to both of his goals coming on the power play.
The Tkachuks were also the tone-setters for Team USA regarding physicality and aggression on the ice. This contest quickly turned into a far more spirited affair than most anticipated, but unsurprisingly, the Tkachuk brothers were eager to stir the pot. The United States dominated not only the scoreboard but also the physicality department, outhitting Finland 32 to 16.
The United States Head Coach Mike Sullivan had initially separated the brothers during the first team practices. But after a period and a half, Sullivan made the tweak and put Brady and Matthew together on a line centered by New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes. The magic began; the United States claimed a crucial regulation win, and the 4 Nations Face-Off is officially off and rolling.
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Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.
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