The United States downed Canada 3-1 in an hard-fought match at Bell Centre in Montreal that featured three fights in the first nine seconds of action, clinching a spot in the final of inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off.
Tamoa Bay’s Jake Guentzel tied the game midway though the first period, from Jack Eichel and Zach Werenski, after a blazing Conor McDavid opened the scoring at the 5:31 mark, and clinched it with an empty-netter with 1:19 left in regulation. Guentzel went five-hole on Jordan Binnington, a shot the goaltender would like back, after taking a pass from Eichel in the left circle to equalize.
Drew Doughty and Binnington were credited with the assists on McDavid’s spectacular goal, which saw the superstar blow by Werenski and Charlie McAvoy before chipping a backhander upstairs.
Dylan Larkin scored the eventual game-winning goal with 6:37 left in the second period, electing to shoot on a 2-on-1 break after Matt Boldy sent him and J.T. MIller the other way following a Canadian turnover. Larkin also drew the primary assist on Guentzel’s insurance marker.
Matthew Tkachuk fought Brandon Hagel two seconds after opening puck drop. That bout was followed by a fight between Sam Bennett and Brady Tkachuk a second of game-play later. Colton Parayko dropped the gloves with Miller after the New York Ranger cross-checked him at the nine-second mark.
Connor Hellebuyck collected his second win of the tournament, finishing with 25 saves, and Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber was credited with the secondary helper on the game’s final goal.
After putting up two goals and a assist against Finland on Thursday, Tkachuk was credited with three shots and two hits before leaving the game with a lower-body injury in the third period.
Sam Bennett made his tournament debut for Canada. Bennett played just 7:41, but was productive in his time on ice, registering three shots and dishing out four hits.
In the early game, its quartet of Panthers had a huge hand in Finland’s 4-3 overtime win over Sweden.
Anton Lundell converted Eetu Luostarinen’s pass on a 2-on-1 break 10:58 into the first period to tie the score 2:23 after Mika Zinbanjed opened the scoring.
After goals by defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Erik Karlsson put the Swedes ahead, Aleksander Barkov scored from in-close, thanks to Olli Maatta’s strong centering pass that first ticked off the stick of Kaapo Kakko to knot the game at three with 2:55 left in the second.
Defenseman Niko Mikkola drew the lone assist on Mikael Granlund’s game-winner 1:49 into the extra session.
Gustav Forsling had one shot, one block and two hits for Sweden, which dropped a second straight game in overtime.
The teams will get today off to travel before finishing round robin play on Monday at TD Garden in Boston.