BOSTON — The best player in the world ended one of the best games ever seen to claim hockey supremacy for Canada over the United States, Finland and Sweden.
“Somebody’s got to shoot in the net,” coach Jon Cooper said all throughout this 4 Nations Face-Off.
Why not Connor McDavid?
His shot to the top corner of Connor Hellebuyck’s net secured the 3-2 win 8:18 into overtime after Jordan Binnington saved Canada’s bacon.
“In overtime they kind of took over, honestly, and Binnington was unbelievable,” said Nathan MacKinnon, who opened the game with his fourth goal of the tournament and ended it wearing a gold medal and being named most valuable player.
It was Binnington who proved his worth with six saves before McDavid scored.
The “most scrutinized” player in the tournament, according to Cooper, “saved his best for last,” stopping Auston Matthews three times in the extra frame.
Then Matthews let McDavid slip by him and make his way into the slot.
“We just needed one look and Connor was very open, so that was very nice,” said MacKinnon. “Usually when he’s that open, it’s in the net.”
McDavid raised his arms after lifting a nation to the top of hockey’s biggest podium.
He, Sidney Crosby and MacKinnon led this team in a way only three of the greatest players of all time could. They did it by scoring the most points — finishing first, second and third for Canada — and by sacrificing the most for the betterment of the group. They did it as underdogs to the greatest American team ever assembled — a team that beat them 3-1 last Saturday — and they did it in hostile territory, in front of fans that booed the Canadian national anthem and filled the air with USA! USA! USA! and Johnny Hockey! chants all night.
At a time of unprecedented political friction between both nations driven by President Donald Trump’s plan to slap tariffs on Canadian goods and antagonistically referring to Canada as “the 51st state,” Team Canada delivered a win for their country.
Throughout the tournament, Cooper urged his players to “play the right way, the Canadian way,” and that’s what they did.
“They did all the right things,” Cooper said after taking a sip of what he referred to as his “Canadian-made” beverage. “For this group of players and the talent level they have, for them to do what they did away from the puck, that’s the Canadian way. That’s walking into a restaurant and opening the door for somebody to walk in first. That’s the Canadian way, and I couldn’t be more proud.”
A nation celebrated.
“I just hope Canada’s proud because every player in that room is proud to be a Canadian,” Cooper said. “And yeah, we needed a win. Not only our team, but Canada needed a win, and the players bared that on their shoulders.
“This one was different. This wasn’t a win for themselves, this was a win for 40-plus million people, and the guys knew it and they delivered.”
It was McDavid in the clutch, before later saying, “I struggled all night.”
Mitch Marner made a beautiful pass to set him up after Cale Makar made one of several game-defining plays.
Makar was missing from last Saturday’s loss due to illness but arguably stood out more than anyone in front of Binnington’s crease to deliver this win for Canada.
The role players like Brad Marchand, who lauded Team USA as the best team he’s ever faced, played their roles to perfection. Even the replacement players proved irreplaceable, with Thomas Harley initially subbing in for Makar and injured defenceman Shea Theodore last week before replacing Josh Morrissey (illness) and assisting on MacKinnon’s goal Thursday.
Sam Bennett was scratched from the tournament-opening win over Sweden but came up with the goal that tied the championship game 2-2 after Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson scored for USA.
Matthew Tkachuk, who played sparingly through the first half of the game — and not at all in the third period and overtime due to his lower-body injury — said after instigating the first of three fights in USA’s win over Canada last Saturday that the message he, his brother Brady and J.T. Miller were sending with their fists was: “This is our time.”
MacKinnon said after McDavid won it for Canada: “It feels good to be on top this time.”
“They’re an amazing team,” the Cole Harbour, N.S. native added of the American team, which played without Quinn Hughes and lost Charlie McAvoy to injury earlier in the week. “They were the favourites coming in, but we pride ourselves on being the best hockey nation. For another year at least, we have some bragging rights. We’ve got to go do it again next February.”
The Milano-Cortina Olympic Games are scheduled for then, and a claim to hockey supremacy will be available to more than just four nations there.
In Boston, Canada was crowned over three other countries that competed in some of the greatest games ever played.
“We wanted this one,” said Mark Stone. “You’ve got 40 million Canadians sitting at home, and you feel the energy. Anytime you have the chance to play for our country or get to get the flag on our chest, it’s a special, special feeling. It’s hockey. That’s what we do, right? It brings us together.”
