With a win over Canada on Thursday night, Team USA would take home the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy and assert itself as the team to beat heading into the 2026 Olympics. The Americans already have one win over their rivals to the north, but making it two in a row will be a tall task.
In order for the Americans to slay hockey’s biggest powerhouse twice in as many games, a handful of key players will have to be at their best. Canada is a team filled to the brim with elite talent and national pride. Sidney Crosby has been in this position countless times throughout his career, and players like Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid aren’t exactly strangers to success.
With that in mind, Team USA will need an even better performance than the one it put forth in Saturday’s 3-1 win. That starts with captain Auston Matthews, who has yet to score while battling a nagging injury. Matthews, a 69-goal scorer in the 2023-24 season, has the ability to take over a game offensively.
At the other end of the ice, it helps to have the best goaltender in the world, which is exactly what Team USA has in Connor Hellebuyck. He was stellar in the Americans’ last game against Canada, and he’ll probably have to elevate his game even more as the Canadians throw everything at him in the championship game.
Matthews and Hellebuyck will play big roles in determining the outcome of the 4 Nations Face-Off final, but they aren’t…
