Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Brady Tkachuk (7) scores a goal against Team Finland goalie Juuse Saros (74) in the third period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The Nashville Predators were hoping that the 4 Nations Face-Off would be a palate cleanser for their starting goalie. Juuse Saros, the Preds’ veteran netminder, is battling through the worst season of his NHL career but entered the international tournament with optimism. Named the starting goalie for Finland, Saros was set to return to form at the best-on-best event.
Then, the Predators goalie faced the United States in the opening contest. Through two periods, Saros gained confidence as he stopped 18 of 20 shots against him. Unfortunately, the third period changed everything, and the game quickly went from a hopeful turning point to a continuation of his nightmarish season.
The United States exploded in the third period and utterly dismantled the Finnish team. Leaving Saros out to dry, Team USA netted four goals in the final frame en route to a 6-1 victory. The win gave the United States a regulation win and the most points in the tournament and pushes Finland to the bottom of the standings and the only country without a point following the opening games.
The game was indecipherable from the rest of the 29-year-old Finnish netminder’s 2024-2025 campaign. A veteran of 391 NHL games, he’s collected 192 wins, a career goals-against average of 2.66, and a .915 save percentage. In his nine seasons in the NHL, he’s established himself as one of the most dependable goalies in the highest echelon of puck-stoppers.
But this year, Saros is far off those numbers. He’s 11-23-6 and likely to break his three-year-long streak of 30 or more victories. His GAA is nearly 0.3 points higher in 2024-2025, with a 2.95 GAA through 41 appearances. Combine that with a career-low save percentage of 0.899, and Saros is battling through a season he’d like to soon forget.
For the sake of Team Finland, they hope Saros turns the page immediately. They face Sweden in their second game, desperate for a victory. Saros will need to play his best to accomplish that, and it will be a huge role reversal for the struggling goaltender.
