Rangers star ‘jacked’ to help United States purge 2010 loss in 4 Nations Face-Off Final vs. Canada
As Team USA readies itself for the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game against Canada, there are glaring similarities between this tournament and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The United States has not finished first in a best-on-best international tournament since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey; now, they are just 60 minutes away from accomplishing that feat, if they can get past Canada.
However, the last time the U.S. came this close to winning was 2010 Vancouver Olympics when Canada crushed Team USA’s dreams in a 3-2 overtime final with Sidney Crosby scoring the Golden Goal.
The beginning of both tournaments started the same; USA marched into Canada to win a statement two-goal victory in preliminary round/round-robin action, ultimately to match up again in the championship game. This time around, Team USA aims to write a different ending.
“This is probably the most jacked up I’ve been for a game,” New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said.
The 2010 Gold Medal game is one of the most iconic moments in international hockey history. Trailing by a goal late in the third period, Zach Parise netted the equalizer at 19:35 for the United States to stun the Canadian crowd and send the game to overtime. However, it set the stage for Crosby to become a national hero in Canada, when he scored the iconic goal 7:40 into overtime.
Though under a different format featuring only four teams as opposed to the 12 at the 2010 Winter Games, this tournament has played out the same for the United States and Canada, so far. In 2010, the U.S. defeated Canada in the preliminary round 5-3 – former Rangers captain and current general manager Chris Drury scored Team USA’s third goal.
Similarly, last Saturday, the United States defeated Canada 3-1 in their second game of round-robin play. None of the three Rangers who played tallied a point, but J.T. Miller took part in one of three fights in the game’s opening nine seconds, setting the tone for a physical game that followed.
Most hockey fans don’t remember the preliminary victory in 2010 due to what happened in the gold medal game. And if Team USA is to lose to Canada in the 4 Nations Faceoff final, their round-robin victory won’t be as memorable either.
There is one important difference that should help the United States this time: home-ice advantage. Canada hosted the Olympics in 2010, and both head-to-head matchups were played in Vancouver. The first half of the 4 Nations Faceoff was played in Montreal – Team USA was able to silence a rowdy Canadian crowd at Bell Centre – but the championship game will take place on U.S. soil in Boston at TD Garden.
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USA, Canada share high expectations for high stakes matchup
There’s nothing quite like representing your country on the biggest stage, something that NHL hockey can not replicate. Sure, winning the Stanley Cup is every hockey player’s dream. But for those participating in the game Thursday, many agree that it’s one of the most important games of their life.
“It’s the biggest game I’ve played in in quite some time, maybe ever,” said Jack Eichel, who won the Stanley Cup in 2023 with the Vegas Golden Knights.
In that Stanley Cup Final, Eichel’s Golden Knights defeated Matthew Tkachuk’s Florida Panthers. One year later, the Panthers won a Stanley Cup of their own in a seven-game series against the Edmonton Oilers. Still, the magnitude of the 4 Nations Faceoff final stands out to Tkachuk.
“Maybe Game 7 aside, this is probably the biggest game we’ve all played up until this point,” he said. “I’m expecting the best environment I’ve ever played in Thursday night.”
On the losing side of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final was Connor McDavid of Team Canada.
“Obviously having just been there a few months ago, playing in big games is what I love to do. Everyone loves to do. And [Thursday’s] a big game,” McDavid explained.
Canada coach Jon Cooper believes that loss can help prepare McDavid for another winner-take-all scenario, less than a year later.
“Many times you think you’ll be right back there. But it doesn’t work that way,” Cooper said “That’s why you have to embrace those moments like they’re going to be your last. And I know for sure Connor is doing that.”
There’s only one player left on either team from the 2010 gold medal game, and it just so happens to be Crosby, Team Canada’s captain. Crosby knows what it is like to play in a game like this, and more importantly, he knows how to excel under the white hot spotlight.
Will Team USA be able to keep Crosby and Team Canada in check to reverse that outcome in 2010?
We will find out shortly.
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