Team USA faces uphill battle in 4 Nations Face-Off: Canada dominates the win column in hockey
The United States defeated Canada in the round-robin in Montreal but history suggests another win in Boston is unlikely.
The inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, an alternative for the NHL All-Star Game, will have the championship game many had been hoping to see as Canada take on the United States at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday, February 20.
The USA get the better of Canada...for once
The North American nations qualified for the final by finishing in the top two spots in the round-robin: the USA were the group winners, while the Canadians pipped Sweden to second place by virtue of their superior head-to-head record.
Intriguingly, the US go into the game full of confidence after coming out on top in what was, at times, a violent meeting between the bitter rivals at Bell Centre in Montreal on February 13. After the opening period finished level, Mike Sullivan’s team narrowly triumphed in the second and third for a 3-1 win.
History tells us the United States very rarely get the better of Canada in men’s ice hockey.
What is the United States record against Canada in men’s ice hockey?
The USA’s northern neighbours have a vastly superior record in matchups in the Olympic Games. The teams have faced each other 19 times, with Canada winning on 12 occasions (including twice in overtime) to the States’ four. There have been three ties.
Canada. USA. #4Nations Face-Off final.
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 18, 2025
Jack Eichel knows the story just writes itself.
📅: Feb. 20
⏰: 8 p.m. ET
📺: @ESPN, ESPN+, @Sportsnet, @TVASports pic.twitter.com/w7xDdg1OFe
And it’s a similar story in the Canada Cup/World Cup of Hockey. The duo have met in that tournament in 14 games, 10 of which have been won by the Canadians (three USA victories, one tie).
What, then, are the chances of two wins in the space of eight days for the United States? Could the 4 Nations Face-Off signal a new dawn for the USA in hockey’s fiercest international rivalry?
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