How many people watched the USA vs Canada hockey game Saturday night? Fan and players’ reactions
Team USA are the first team to claim a place in the Thursday final after a tense win against Canada in Montreal.
As an alternative to an All-Star game this season, the NHL devised a new 4 Nations Face-Off competition which features stars from the league representing their country in a national team competition.
The teams involved see representatives from the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden facing off at TD Garden in Boston and Bell Centre in Montreal.
With two wins from two games, Team USA have sealed a berth in Thursday’s final in Boston and now wait for the outcome from the third and final round of games to discover their opponent.
Final group stage games
Monday, February. 17
Canada vs. Finland, 1 p.m. ET (TD Garden, Boston)
Sweden vs. United States, 8 p.m. ET (TD Garden, Boston)
US edge out Canada
The most eagerly game of the competition so far took place in Montreal on Saturday night where a packed house saw Team USA punched their ticket to the final of the NHL 4 Nations with a win over Team Canada.
Jake Guentzel scored twice with Larkin bagging the other goal for the Americans in a comeback win in a game that saw US goaltender Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves after Connor McDavid opened the scoring for Canada.
That was a fun day of hockey! #4Nations pic.twitter.com/D0nf6rqsuX
— NHL (@NHL) February 16, 2025
New format secures positive reaction
ESPN claim that the Montreal game averaged 4.4 million viewers peaking at 5.2 to become the most watched non Stanley Cup final ice hockey game since the 2019 when the Blue Jackets-Bruins game pulled in 4.5 million viewers.
Fans too have responded to the format with all four group stage games at Montreal’s Bell Centre being played in front of a sold-out crowd.
Reaction too on social media channels has been universally positive too with the competition accentuating the USA-Canada rivalry with relationship between both nations tense on a political level at present.
Both nations could meet again in the Boston final with a win over Sweden for the Canadians setting up another clash against Team USA.
Connor McDavid is still doing Connor McDavid things on an international stage 😱
— NHL (@NHL) February 17, 2025
📺: #4Nations Face-Off Canada vs. Finland tomorrow at 1p ET on @NHL_On_TNT, @SportsonMax, @Sportsnet, @TVASports. pic.twitter.com/rGvRXfqPOG
“Those games are fun to play. There’s so many people in Finland, in Sweden to watch these games". “It’s great to come (out) on top, and at the same time we are alive in this tournament. Everything is in our own hands.” stated Finnish star Mikael Granlund.
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