Canada did not mess around Monday, overpowering Finland from the jump to set up a rematch against the United States on Thursday in the 4 Nations Face-Off final.
The Canadians will enter a hostile environment in Boston looking for revenge.
“Regardless (whether) other people out there say we’re the underdogs,” Canada coach Jon Cooper told reporters, “everybody in (our) room thinks we have a really good chance to win.”
Here is how Canada can pull it off:
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Canada vs. USA in 4 Nations Face-Off final on Sportsnet
Fierce rivals Canada and the U.S. collide in Boston on Thursday for the 4 Nations Face-Off final. Watch the game on Sportsnet, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
1. Makar rises to the occasion
Canada missed its No. 1 defenceman last Saturday. Cale Makar was too ill to play, and his absence was felt against the United States. He returned Monday against Finland and led Canada in several important categories — time on ice (23:57), shot attempts (eight), possession time (1:52) and loose-puck recoveries (25), among others.
Makar and long-time defence partner Devon Toews were on the ice for 20:11 at even strength. Canada generated 68.1 per cent of the expected goals and outscored Finland 2-1 during those minutes.
Only one NHL player (Quinn Hughes) has possessed the puck more than Makar (155:25) this season. Cooper described Makar as a “one-man breakout,” and his presence Thursday could prove pivotal, especially if Hughes finds his way into the U.S. lineup.
“The U.S. is such a skilled team,” Makar told reporters. “In that game especially, they supported each other so well on the ice and then kind of broke us down in the neutral zone and then were able to get odd-man rushes a couple times. Those are just little things that we’ve got to maybe clean up.”
2. Leverage a Hellebuyck weakness
Connor Hellebuyck was sensational in the Americans’ win against the Canadians last weekend. The Vezina Trophy frontrunner saved 2.84 goals above expected, stopping 13 of 14 slot shots on net (10 of 11 from the inner slot).
If Hellebuyck has a weakness, it might be his reaction to second-chance scoring opportunities. His .797 save percentage on rebound chances this season ranks 25th out of 67 goaltenders who have played at least 10 games.
Hellebuyck faced five rebound chances in the first matchup against Canada, all of which required him to make a save. In total, he is 6-for-6 in the tournament on rebound chances that have hit the net.
Although it is a much smaller sample of games, Hellebuyck’s rebound control has not been as sharp in the 4 Nations Face-Off compared to the regular season. He has allowed a rebound on 71.4 per cent of the shots he has faced in two starts — up from 62.5 per cent with the Winnipeg Jets this season.
The Canadians must ratchet up the pressure on Hellebuyck in the championship game and take advantage of any second-chance opportunities they create.
3. A role player steps up
Most of Canada’s offence has been generated by its big guns. Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon have combined to score six of the team’s 10 goals.
In fact, the Canadians have scored only one goal in the tournament that has not involved at least one of those players: Brad Marchand’s goal against Sweden in the opener (assisted by Brayden Point and Seth Jarvis).
So who could be Canada’s unsung hero on Thursday?
Mitch Marner, who scored the overtime winner against Sweden, started the tournament on a line with McDavid and Sam Reinhart, but Cooper moved him to the third line alongside Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli. They meshed well, recording a 71.7 XGF% at even strength in 9:19 of ice time against Finland.
All three are capable of making a game-changing play, but Marner surely would love to spoil the Americans’ party in Boston, where the Toronto Maple Leafs forward is loathed.
And there is Marchand, who is experiencing what it feels like to be on the wrong side in Boston for the first time in his 16-year career. The Bruins captain has averaged just 11:19 per game in the tournament. However, his track record in winner-take-all games (seven points in 12 career Game 7s) could come in handy.
“There’s some guys in here we’ve probably got to get in a little bit more,” Cooper told reporters. “But this is what you find out in the two games. You’ve got to learn from this. We’ll see what happens and who plays where, but we’ve learned a lot.’’
