Of course, there can only be one winner, and that’s Canada, still the team to beat in best-on-best international play. And it was Connor McDavid with his signature moment on the big stage that capped a simply terrific night for the sport when he scored 8:18 into overtime, lifting Canada to a thrilling 3-2 victory.

The tournament was amazing theater filled with great hockey by the best players in the world. It’s a tasty appetizer for the NHL as the League prepares to participate in the 2026 Milan Olympics.

Now, it’s time to turn the page. Quickly. And get back to the stretch run of the NHL season, where there’s a pretty wild chase for the final two playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. The New York Rangers know all about that, sitting 11th in the East, three points out of the second wild card.

But there’s a stiff price to be paid from the 4 Nations Face-Off.

That playoff race could be somewhat compromised, as could the long-term chances for serious Stanley Cup contenders. Emily Kaplan of ESPN reported Thursday night that there were many players grinding through the 4 Nations Final with injuries that could keep them out of the lineup with their respective NHL teams moving forward.

We already know about Matthew Tkachuk, who was unable to finish the championship game with an unspecified injury. Auston Matthews was playing through an upper-body injury. Brady Tkachuk had a lower-body issue. Then there’s Charlie McAvoy, who’s possibly out the rest of the season following a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery for an infection. Shea Theodore is week to week after he was hurt in the first game of the tournament.

How about Vincent Trocheck of the Rangers? He appeared to injure his hand/wrist in the 2-1 loss to Sweden on Monday. Trocheck played against Canada but was largely ineffective. The tell-tale sign could be that he only took four face-offs — his specialty — and lost each one Thursday. He logged just 10 minutes of ice time.

Let’s see where it all settles when the four Rangers from Team USA rejoin their NHL teammates in Buffalo. The Rangers resume their season Saturday in Buffalo against the Sabres with a quick follow Sunday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.

As coach Peter Laviolette said Thursday, “It comes at you fast.” Twenty-seven games may sound like a lot, but they’ll be gone before you know it — and the Rangers hope to be among the eight teams still standing in the East when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin in April.

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New York Rangers news

After the morning skate Thursday, President Trump spoke with Team USA and wished them well in their game against Canada. Rangers forward J.T. Miller was among those thrilled to hear from the President of the United States.

Rangers defenseman Adam Fox said prior to the game that the 4 Nations Face-Off championship contest was “the biggest game I’ve been a part of.”

Back in New York, Igor Shesterkin participated in an entire practice and should be good to go for the Rangers this weekend after sustaining an upper-body injury Feb. 7.

The Rink Rap podcast is posted with this week’s special guest, former Rangers general manager Neil Smith. You can watch the entire interview on YouTube or listen to the audio here.

NHL news

Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring for Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game and was named MVP of the tournament after pacing all skaters with four goals in four games.

There could have been a different result in that 4 Nations final if not for the brilliant play of Canada goalie Jordan Binnington, who made three sensational saves against Matthews and one on Brady Tkachuk in overtime, when he stopped all six shots he faced before McDavid’s heroics.

Canada forward Brad Marchand, one of the all-time pests in NHL history, called out the Tkachuk brothers postgame for shooting their mouths off to the media prior to the championship clash — “they got a little bit ahead of themselves.”

The Calgary Flames placed defenseman Tyson Barrie on waivers.

Max Pacioretty is likely out this weekend for the Toronto Maple Leafs after tweaking something in practice Wednesday.

Mikko Rantanen just may be the most attractive player available on the free-agent market this offseason. Here’s a breakdown from the former Carolina Hurricanes capologist as to what his next deal could look like.

Frank Seravalli reports that teams aren’t breaking down the Chicago Blackhawks door to trade for expensive defenseman Seth Jones, despite Chicago’s desire to move him.

With Ryan Pulock set to return from injury this weekend, the Islanders placed defenseman Dennis Cholowski on waivers.

The loss denied the U.S. its first best-on-best international title since Mike Richter of the New York Rangers led them past Canada in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It also mirrored the outcome of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, when the U.S. defeated Canada in preliminary-round play, only to lose the gold medal game 3-2 to Canada on Sidney Crosby’s overtime goal.

The game-winning sequence began when McDavid won an offensive-zone face-off in the left circle and quickly wristed a shot wide of the net. Cale Makar collected the puck on right wing and sent the puck around the boards to Mitchell Marner on left wing. Rangers defenseman Adam Fox was late getting to Marner, Auston Matthews strayed out of position, and no one picked up McDavid, wide open in the slot. Marner found him with a pass, and McDavid wired the OT winner into the top of the net over the glove of goalie Connor Hellebuyck, quieting the partisan United States crowd.

THERE IT IS! THE GAME WINNER! THE TOURNAMENT WINNER! 😱😱😱

CONNOR MCDAVID HAS WON IT FOR CANADA!!! #4Nations pic.twitter.com/nDneA2e26K

— NHL (@NHL) February 21, 2025

All four Rangers on the Team USA roster dressed for the championship game, including Chris Kreider who was a healthy scratch the first two games in this tournament. Kreider had the lowest ice time of any player Thursday, logging just 6:25 TOI, though he was credited with three hits.

Fox was held pointless for the fourth straight game and was on ice for the tying and winning goals. J.T. Miller had a strong game, but like Fox, didn’t record a point in the tournament. Miller logged 19:34 TOI on Thursday, won seven of 10 face-offs and had three hits. Vincent Trocheck lost all four of his face-offs and played just 10:03 amid concerns that he might have sustained a hand or wrist injury Monday in a 2-1 loss to Sweden.

The United States played most of the game without star forward Matthew Tkachuk, who remained on the bench but did not take a shift from late in the second period until the end of the game due to an unspecified injury.

Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson scored for the U.S., and Hellebuyck made 24 saves.

Nathan MacKinnon scored his fourth goal of the 4 Nations and Sam Bennett netted the tying goal for Canada. Jordan Binnington was outstanding in net, finishing with 31 saves, including six in overtime.

Related: J.T. Miller delighted President Trump called Team USA before championship game against Canada

Canada 3 – United States 2 (OT)

Chants of “USA! USA!” bellowed through TD Garden a good 45 minutes before warmups. And the fans were at a fever pitch by time Wayne Gretzky (Canada) and Mike Eruzione (United States) were introduced as the game’s honorary captains. There was mild booing of the Canadian national anthem and a rousing sing-a-long of “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Then it was finally time for hockey. And these teams didn’t disappoint. Instead, they lived up to the massive hype, and probably surpassed with a heart-stopping 68 minutes of back and forth hockey.

Despite an early push by Team USA, it was Canada that scored first. MacKinnon took a feed from defenseman Thomas Harley in the offensive zone, floated to his right and mid-motion wired a shot through a maze of players that beat Hellebuyck above the blocker to make it 1-0 at 4:48 of the first period.

NATHAN MACKINNON OPENS THE SCORING! 🚨 #4Nations

🇺🇸: @espn & @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/S5tPrXCygm
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/c2Mae8GUoF

— NHL (@NHL) February 21, 2025

Hellebuyck was strong the rest of the period after surrendering the first goal. He was especially good when Canada went hard to the net trying to jam shots home from in tight, including a pair of Seth Jarvis attempts early on and then tight pad stops on Bennett and Brad Marchand at 13:46.

Kreider was on ice for each of those shifts.

The United States tied it at 16:52 when Brady Tkachuk skated into the low slot and chipped a Matthews pass just past Binnington’s blocker for his third goal of the tournament. Two minutes later, Tkachuk kept the building rocking when he smoked Harley into the end boards with a massive hit.

The physical play went both ways. Fox was leveled to the ice on a Bennett check at 5:45; and Sidney Crosby was buried trying to get to a rebound by U.S. defenseman Brock Faber.

Canada had an 11-10 shots advantage in the first period. Team USA flipped it in the second, up 9-8 in shots.

Sanderson buried a rebound at 7:32 of the second to give the United States a 2-1 lead. Zach Werenski fired a long shot off Binnington’s pads, and Matthews’ rebound try was blocked by the stick of Colton Parayko. The puck caromed into the slot and Sanderson made no mistake, scoring his first goal of the tournament.

JAKE SANDERSON, THE KID PUTS THE USA IN THE LEAD 🇺🇸🤯 pic.twitter.com/NYt0QV1eE0

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 21, 2025

Trocheck took the game’s first penalty, a tripping minor in the offensive zone, at 8:57. Canada pressed but the U.S. killed off the penalty. Before doing so, Miller set up Dylan Larkin for a right-wing blast off a 2-on-1 short-handed rush at 10:43.

It remained 2-1 at the 12-minute mark because U.S. defenseman Jaccob Slavin tied up Crosby in front and then quickly swatted a loose puck away in the slot just as Crosby was going to poke it into the open net.

But two minutes later Canada was not to be denied. Bennett beat Hellebuyck with a short-side snipe past the blocker to tie the game 2-2 at 14:00. Marner created space by skating down the middle before dishing to Bennett on left wing and the rugged center finished for his first goal at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

SAM BENNETT TIES THE GAME FOR CANADA 🇨🇦

WHAT A HOCKEY GAME 🤯 pic.twitter.com/XZanqO2LTB

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 21, 2025

It remained tied less than two minutes later because Fox made an adept block on McDavid’s shot off a 3-on-2 rush by Canada. Right afterward, Kreider crushed Jarvis with a big hit. Brady Tkachuk put a bow on the second period when he smoked Drew Doughty with another huge hit at 17:20.

Tied 2-2, the intensity ratcheted up in the third period, with some excellent chances at each end of the ice. Canada just missed taking the lead when a bouncing puck hit the post, and the United States had a string of chances, including at least three by Jake Guentzel.

MacKinnon nearly won it for Canada with 1:29 to play in regulation, taking a long pass from Devon Toews on left wing, bursting into the U.S. zone and hammering a left-wing shot off the rush that was stopped by Hellebuyck.

With under a minute to go, Miller made a brilliant play when he hustled back to his own net to pick off a cross-crease pass by Marner, who was looking for McDavid at the far post.

Team USA nearly won the game just 2:54 into overtime when Matthews powered to the net and had his one-timer denied by Binnington’s blocker. At 4:30, Binnington robbed Matthews again off the rush and dove to his left to stone Brady Tkachuk with a quick glove on a rebound try.

Binnington made a terrific glove save on Matthews from the slot a bit later. And shortly thereafter McDavid ended this fiercely competed midseason international tournament with his third goal in four games.

The New York Rangers center was robbed by goaltender Jordan Binnington 1:55 into the extra period on a one-timer from the left circle that would have given Sweden a come-from-behind victory. Marner then scored at 6:06 of OT to give Canada a 4-3 win in the tournament opener, spoiling Sweden’s comeback from a pair of two-goal deficits.

“We did a good job working ourselves back into the game,” Zibanejad said. “Overtime could have gone both ways.”

Sidney Crosby, the game’s First Star, got his third primary assist of the night when he fed Marner, who raced into the offensive zone and ripped a high shot from the right of the slot through an inadvertent screen by Swedish defenseman Erik Karlsson that beat Filip Gustavsson for the win.

“He’s amazing. He’s just ageless. It’s a credit to him,” Connor McDavid said of Crosby. “It’s a credit to how much he puts into it his work ethic, credit to how he takes care of himself and credit to how smart he is out there. He just gets it done time and time again, and he did that again tonight.”

Canada has won 26 consecutive games in international competition with Crosby in the lineup.

AN ABSOLUTE ELECTRIC #4Nations OPENER! 🙌

Mitch Marner scores the @SUBWAYCanada OT winner for Canada. pic.twitter.com/PTTYLar7BV

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 13, 2025

Scoring the overtime winner on an assist from his boyhood idol was special for Marner.

“You tell 13-year-old Mitch that he scored an overtime goal assisted by Sidney Crosby, the guy he looked up to since day one, it’s pretty crazy,” he said. “I really just tried to enjoy the moment after. The building was rocking, and it was nice to have them cheering for me instead of against me.”

Crosby also set up goals by Nathan MacKinnon in the first period and Mark Stone in the second. Brad Marchand, who fueled Canada’s World Cup win nine years ago with a tournament-leading five goals, scored the other goal.

“As someone who loves to play in environments like that, I grew up a Montreal Canadiens fan, and to have an ovation like that here was really special and something I’ll always remember,” Crosby said.

Binnington made 23 saves, allowing goals by Jonas Brodin in the second period and Adrian Kempe and Joel Eriksson Ek in the third. Gustavsson finished with 24 saves, including seven in overtime.

Canada lost defenseman Shea Theodore early in the second period with an upper-body injury, and coach Jon Cooper said after the game that Theodore will miss the rest of the tournament, which ends Feb. 20.

Zibanejad finished the game minus-1 and had two shots on goal in 20:01 of ice time. He had one takeaway and was 12-10 on face-offs — no other Swedish center was over .500 on draws.

“I think toward the end of the first (period) and from then on, we started playing a little bit more,” Zibanejad said. “We could have won this game.”

Having to go into the 10-minute overtime before winning means Canada got two points for the victory, instead of three. Sweden got one point.

Each team will have two days off before playing its biggest rival. Sweden faces Finland on Saturday afternoon, while Canada and the United States square off Saturday night. The Americans, featuring four Rangers — defenseman Adam Fox and forwards J.T. Miller, Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck — play Finland in their first game Thursday night.

Related: Former Rangers captain believes Jacob Trouba was ‘spiritual leader’ before trade to Ducks

Canada 4 – Sweden 3 (OT)

Zibanejad was in the starting lineup, centering a line with Rickard Rakell and William Nylander, and won the opening face-off. But he had already gone off for a line change when Nylander was called for high-sticking MacKinnon 44 seconds into the game.

That brought out Canada’s No. 1 power-play unit, which needed just 12 seconds to open the scoring. McDavid fed Crosby at the goal line to the left of Gustavsson, and Crosby’s backhand pass across the top of the crease found MacKinnon. The NHL leading scorer wasted no time snapping it into the net for a 1-0 lead.

“We get a penalty on the first shift and they score, what, 15 seconds into the power play,” Zibanejad said. “The building gets going and they get a second goal.”

The Canadians dominated play and had not allowed a shot on goal before Marchand scored at 13:15 to make it 2-0.

Seth Jarvis’ pass sprung Brayden Point and Marchand on a 2-on-1 break. Point found a wide-open Marchand in the lower left circle, and he hit the half-empty net for a 2-0 lead.

Brad Marchand in Montreal! 🇨🇦

Canada leads 2-0! #4Nations

🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/1OeWbNgQN7

— NHL (@NHL) February 13, 2025

Marchand admitted during a between-periods interview with TNT that “I heard a few boos” amid the cheers after the goal but added that “It’s incredible the way the fans rally behind Canada.” The Boston Bruins captain has heard his share of boos at Bell Centre over the years, playing for one of the Montreal Canadiens’ biggest rivals.

Canada had the first seven shots of the game before the Swedes finally got their first shot at 13:49 when Nylander got off a backhander that Binnington had no trouble with. They had the final three shots on goal in the period, none of which was dangerous.

“We had an awesome start,” Stone told TNT.

The Swedes finally began to find their game as the second period neared the midway point and cut the deficit to 2-1 at 9:33.

Jonas Brodin scored Sweden’s opening goal while making his debut at an NHL International Tournament. #4Nations

Tune in on @NHL_On_TNT, @SportsonMax, truTV, @Sportsnet and @TVASports. #NHLStats: https://t.co/fAVu10HCM6 pic.twitter.com/129wkho3Tu

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) February 13, 2025

Brodin, who has four goals in 34 games for the Minnesota Wild this season and only recently returned to the lineup after missing four weeks with a lower-body injury, let go a bad-angled shot from near the right boards. With Rakell screening Binnington, the shot went over the goaltender’s shoulder and just under the crossbar.

Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin saved a goal 3 1/2 minutes later by beating MacKinnon to a loose puck in the crease after a chop shot by Crosby leaked through Gustavsson.

But Crosby got his second assist of the night when he did most of the work on Stone’s goal at 17:28. With Zibanejad on the ice and Sweden pressing for the tying goal, Crosby picked up a miss by Mattias Ekholm and raced up the right wing. He muscled away defenseman Gustav Forsling in the lower right circle long enough to find Stone, who was flying down the middle and one-timed No. 87’s pass behind Gustavsson for a 3-1 lead.

He's just so good at protecting the puck 😳 #4Nations https://t.co/Ie6mX8CBpm pic.twitter.com/cjL6u4Iiy7

— NHL (@NHL) February 13, 2025

Sweden got back within a goal 1:54 into the third period when Kempe backed off his Los Angeles Kings teammate, defenseman Drew Doughty, and created enough room to snap a shot past Binnington from between the circles.

Eriksson Ek got the Swedes even at 8:59, finishing a nice passing play with Lucas Raymond and Jesper Bratt, who faked a shot and fed the Minnesota center for a flip shot over Binnington and a 3-3 tie.

JOEL ERIKSSON EK TIES THE GAME FOR SWEDEN! 👀 #4Nations 

Catch all the action on Sportsnet! 📺 pic.twitter.com/56Nre5MnDY

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 13, 2025

Gustavsson saved the day for Sweden with just under nine minutes remaining when he got his blocker on a shot from the slot by Devon Toews, who was alone in the slot and appeared to have a half-empty net to shoot at.

Canada’s firepower is surreal, but their goaltending is questionable. Sweden has issues in goal too, with Jacob Marsktrom out injured and Linus Ullmark coming back from a back injury. The United States might be the favorite because their roster is stacked AND that includes having the best goalie in the tournament in Connor Hellebiyck. Finland’s lineup is decimated by injury, but still can’t be counted out.

Adam Fox, J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider begin the tournament when the United States plays Finland on Thursday. It’s looking more and more like Kreider will be a healthy scratch. He was the extra forward rotating in at practice again Tuesday on a line with Trocheck, Brock Nelson and Dylan Larkin.

That Canada-U.S. preliminary-round clash Saturday night at Bell Centre should eb something to see for sure. Miller and Trocheck will have their hands full in checking roles against the likes of Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby.

Curious to see what the interest is like with hockey fans in the United States. It appears that Canadian fans are embracing this mid-season international tournament. Fans in the States? That’s still up for debate.

Let’s just hope no one gets seriously hurt with the stretch run in the NHL regular season set to resume Feb. 22.

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New York Rangers news

Mika Zibanejad says he feels “like a kid again” playing for his native Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Dave Maloney weighed in on Igor Shesterkin’s struggles this season and said that his gold standard has been “compromised” this season with the Rangers.

Speaking of struggled, our Tom Castro writes that the Rangers should have major concerns about Alexis Lafreniere’s regression this season.

Ten days after his trade to the Vancouver Canucks, Filip Chytil penned a goodbye and thank you message to the Rangers and their fans.

Our John Kreiser breaks down the difficult path the Rangers face in trying to nail down a playoff spot.

In our weekly Rangers NCAA prospects report, we feature Gabe Perreault, who scored a goal in the Beanpot Tournament Final, but it wasn’t enough for Boston College, which lost to Boston University.

NHL news

Here are 5 things to watch for at the 4 Nations Face-Off, including McDavid, MacKinnon and Crosby finally teaming up together on international stage.

Here’s a great one-stop shop for all your 4 Nations needs: rosters, tournament rules, schedules and TV info all in one place.

Jordan Binnington will start in goal for Canada in its 4 Nations opener against Sweden. He beat out Adin Hill and Sam Montembeault.

The United States continues to honor the late Johnny Gaudreau, hanging his Team USA sweater in their dressing room at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Also, his father, Guy Gaudreau, was an on-ice coach for the United States this week and will continue in that role throughout the tournament.

Sidney Crosby, who skated on the wing not at center at Canada’s practice Tuesday, said “it’s an absolute honor” to have the QMJHL name it’s rookie of the year award after him, as it announced yesterday.

The Minnesota Wild placed forward Devin Shore on waivers, for the fourth time this season.

At Finland’s media session, Patrik Laine discussed his recent dip in ice time for the Montreal Canadiens and it got a bit blow out of proportion that he’s angry with coach Martin St. Louis. For his part, Laine acknowledged he must begin to play better.

Watch several members of the United States, including Rangers forwards J.T. Miller and Chris Kreider, meet with media ahead of 4 Nations Face-Off.