Behind a strong effort by Connor Hellebuyck and a tremendous game by the defense in front of him, Team USA snapped Canada’s 26-game best-on-best winning steak and earn itself a spot in the finals of the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off.
Jake Guentzel scored USA’s first goal and the clinching empty-netter to push the Americans to a 3-1 win over Team Canada on Saturday at the Bell Centre.
Team USA will face Sweden on Monday at 8 p.m. in a game that doesn’t mean anything to the Americans, who are guaranteed a spot in Thursday’s final.
Canada, Finland and Sweden are each still alive for the other spot. Canada plays Finland, Monday at 1 p.m.
The opening nine seconds of the game will be part of international hockey legend with three fights in the first nine seconds.
Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel dropped the gloves, two seconds into the games. One second after that, Brady Tkachuk and Sam Bennett squared off. And finally, J.T. Miller and Colton Parayko scrapped, nine seconds in.
The unexpected fight card ignited the already revved-up Bell Centre crowd.
But after that, the game continued with playoff-caliber physicality, high-level hockey and elite defense.
Drew Doughty quarterbacked a slant pass to Connor McDavid coming through the neutral zone. The Oilers superstar, who is one of the fastest players in history, below past Charlie McAvoy and beat Connor Hellebuyck to make it 1-0, 5:31 into the game.
Jack Eichel, who has had a strong tournament so far, carried the puck into the zone, drawing defense to him. He fed Jake Guentzel in the left-wing circle where the Lightning forward snapped it by Jordan Binnington to tie the game 1-1 with 9:45 left in the first.
The Americans pulled ahead in the second period when they caught Team Canada in a bad line change that created a two-on-one. The defenseman played for a pass, so Dylan Larkin shot it himself and beat Binnington to make it 2-1.
Guentzel added an empty-net goal with 1:19 left to seal the American win.
Hellebuyck made 24 saves including 17 in the second and third combined.
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