Team USA Beats Canada at 4 Nations, Tkachuk Does Not Finish Game

What could be the first game between Canada and the USA at the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off would be a pretty delicious main course yet will probably just be a very filling and satisfying appetizer.

Saturday night in Montreal, Jake Guentzel scored twice including into an empty net to lead Team USA to a 3-1 win over Canada in the team’s round-robin game of the 4 Nations tournament.

Both teams play Monday in Boston — Canada plays Finland, Team USA meets Sweden — with the potential for a rematch of Saturday’s heavyweight bout in a championship game Thursday.

The United States punched its ticket to the final with two wins in the first two games. Canada has to win its way in.

In case you had not heard, the game opened with Matthew Tkachuk fighting Brandon Hagel on the opening faceoff.

Then, Brady Tkachuk and Sam Bennett threw down — with a third fight coming before the 10 second mark of the game.

Once that was done, it was time for the business of hockey.

For the NHL, business at this tournament has been pretty good.

Saturday’s game between Team USA and Canada was well hyped, and it lived up to it.

All-world center Connor McDavid got the Canadiens going by scoring at 5:31 with a spectacular goal off the rush.

Guentzel tied it for the Americans less than 5 minutes later, and, the game was tied going into the second.

After a wild and woolly first 20, the action was quieter in the second.

But Team USA did take its first lead, Detroit captain Dylan Larkin whipping one past Jordan Bennington at 13:33 to make it 2-1.

USA v. CANADA 4 NATIONS NOTES

• A few hours after Sasha Barkov blocked a shot and limped down the tunnel, Matthew Tkachuk missed the final 12:36 of Saturday’s game having only played three shifts in the third.
• Tkachuk played a 9 second shift, returned to the ice, and told assistant coach John Tortorella he couldn’t continue and went to the end of the bench for the remainder of the game.
• “He’ll be good to go,’’ Brady Tkachuk said.
• Barkov, by the way, appeared fine and played the entire third period after getting hit in the skate by a shot.
• All four teams had to change their travel arrangements due to a bad snowstorm headed toward Montreal, with Finland and Sweden both flying to Boston not long after their matinee battle ended. Canada and Team USA planned to fly out after midnight.
• Guentzel took the lead from the Tkachuk brothers for the tournament lead with three goals in two games played.
• Bennett became the eighth member of the Florida Panthers to play in the tournament. He was a healthy scratch Wednesday against Sweden.

FHN’S 3 STARS OF THE GAME

• 1. Jake Guentzel, Team USA
• 2. Dylan Larkin, Team USA
• 3. Connor McDavid, Canada

NATIONS FACE-OFF SCHEDULE

At Bell Centre, Montreal

• Wednesday: Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
• Thursday: United States 6, Finland 1
• Saturday: Finland 4, Sweden 3 OT; United States 3, Canada 1

At TD Garden, Boston

• Monday: Canada vs. Finland, 1 p.m. (TNT/truTV, Max); Sweden vs. United States, 8 p.m. (TNT/truTV, Max)
• Thursday: Championship game, 8 p.m. (ESPN, ESPN+)

Standings

• 1. United States 6 points
• 2. Canada 2
• 2. Finland 2
• 2. Sweden 2

PANTHERS ON DECK: GAME No. 58

SEATTLE KRAKEN at FLORIDA

• When: Saturday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m.
• Where: Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise
• Local TV: Scripps Sports — WSFL 39 (Miami/FtL); WHDT 9 (WPB); LAFF 36.3 (SWFla)
• Streaming: Panthers+, ESPN+
• Radio: WPOW 96.5-FM2; WBZT 1230-AM (Palm Beach); WCTH 100.3-FM (Florida Keys); SiriusXM
• Panthers Radio Streaming: SiriusXM 932, NHL App
• Season Series (Panthers Lead 1-0) — At Seattle: Panthers 2, Kraken 1 SO (Dec. 11). At Florida: Feb. 22.
• Last Season: Tied 1-1
• All-Time Regular Season Series: Seattle leads 4-3-0
• Up Next for the Panthers: Feb. 25 at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m.