Today’s game between Canada and Finland in the Four Nations Face-Off is set to be a thrilling encounter. Both teams are coming off hard-fought matches and are eager to secure a win to improve their standings. With Canada’s solid defense and Finland’s dynamic offense, this matchup promises to be an intense battle between two hockey powerhouses.
Here is Inside the Rink’s Game Preview of this Matchup:
Tournament Standings
Here are the current standings for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament:
- United States: 6 points (2 wins)
- Canada: 2 points (0 wins, 1 OT win, 1 loss)
- Finland: 2 points (0 wins, 1 OT win, 1 loss)
- Sweden: 2 points (0 wins, 2 OT losses)
Canada, Finland, and Sweden are all tied with two points each, but the United States has secured a spot in the championship game. A regulation win for either team secures a spot in the Championship game.
Team Lineups
Team Canada
Injury Report/Scratches:
- F Travis Konecny
- D Shea Theodore – Upper-Body Injury
- G Sam Montembeault
- RW Seth Jarvis
Line 1: Cale Makar (Colorado Avalanche) (A), Devon Toews (Colorado Avalanche), Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning), Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) (A), Mark Stone (Vegas Golden Knights)
Line 2: Colton Parayko (St. Louis Blues), Josh Morrissey (Winnipeg Jets), Mitch Marner (Toronto Maple Leafs), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers), Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) (C)
Line 3: Drew Doughty (Los Angeles Kings), Travis Sanheim (Philadelphia Flyers), Mitch Marner (Toronto Maple Leafs), Anthony Cirelli (Tampa Bay Lightning), Brandon Hagel (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Line 4: Joel Armia (Montreal Canadiens), Erik Haula (New Jersey Devils), Artturi Lehkonen (Colorado Avalanche), Travis Konecny (Philadelphia Flyers), Sam Bennett (Florida Panthers), Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins) (A)
Goaltender: Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues)
Key Players:
- Connor McDavid: 2 games, 1 goal, 1 assist
- Sidney Crosby: 2 games, 3 assists
- Brad Marchand: 2 games, 1 goal
- Jordan Binnington (G): 2 games, 1 assist
Team Finland
Injury Report/Scratches:
- F Teuvo Teravainen
- D Juuso Välimäki
- G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Finland
Line 1: Esa Lindell (Dallas Stars), Niko Mikkola (Florida Panthers), Mikko Rantanen (Carolina Hurricanes), Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers) (C), Kaapo Kakko (Seattle Kraken)
Line 2: Henri Jokiharju (Buffalo Sabres), Olli Määttä (Utah), Mikael Granlund (Dallas Stars) (A), Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes) (A), Roope Hintz (Dallas Stars)
Line 3: Niklas Matinpalo (Ottawa Senators), Urho Vaakanainen (New York Rangers), Patrik Laine (Montreal Canadiens), Anton Lundell (Florida Panthers), Eetu Luostarinen (Florida Panthers)
Line 4: Joel Armia (Montreal Canadiens), Erik Haula (New Jersey Devils), Artturi Lehkonen (Colorado Avalanche)
Goaltender: Kevin Lankinen (Vancouver Canucks)
Key Players:
- Mikael Granlund: Scored the overtime winner against Sweden
- Juuse Saros: Strong performance in goal despite a tough loss to the USA
- Esa Lindell: Key defensive plays in recent matches
Period 1
Cale Makar (CAN) fired a shot toward the net, but it went wide. Canada (CAN) had a breakaway opportunity but couldn’t get a shot on net. Connor McDavid (CAN) skillfully maintained control of the puck. Jordan Binnington (CAN) made a crucial save on a shot from Finland (FIN). Sidney Crosby (CAN) cleared the puck out of the zone. McDavid (CAN) then snagged the puck and pushed it past Kevin Lankinen (FIN) over the glove side, giving Canada a 1-0 lead.
A mere seconds later, Nathan MacKinnon (CAN) found the back of the net again for Canada with assists from Connor McDavid (CAN) and Sam Reinhart (CAN) at 04:59, extending Canada’s lead to 2-0.
Under ten minutes remained, and Canada (CAN) kept the pressure on Finland (FIN). Kaapo Kakko (FIN) tried to get the Finns in shot contention but was unable to dig in. Later, Jordan Binnington (CAN) knocked out a shot and Aleksander Barkov (FIN) kept the play alive. Binnington (CAN) had dropped his stick, making for a scary situation for Canada, but they were able to prevent a shot on net. Then, it was Connor McDavid (CAN) again on the rush when he fired one on Kevin Lankinen (FIN) and on the rebound, Brayden Point (CAN) got it past the netminder. McDavid (CAN) and Travis Sanheim (CAN) assisted that goal at 13:02, giving Canada a 3-0 lead.
At the end of the period, Canada managed to maintain a strong defensive stance against Finland. Jordan Binnington, Canada’s goaltender, had a solid performance, making crucial saves to keep Finland from scoring. However, it was the Canadian defense that truly shone, blocking shots and preventing Finland from capitalizing on their few opportunities at the end of the frame.
Statistics
- Shots on Goal: Finland 5, Canada 11
- Shots off Goal: Finland 6, Canada 9
- Shooting Percentage: Finland 0% (0/5), Canada 27.27% (3/11)
- Blocked Shots: Finland 4, Canada 2
- Goalkeeper Saves: Finland 8, Canada 5
- Save Percentage: Finland 72.73% (8/11), Canada 100% (5/5)
- Penalties: None
- Hits: Finland 8, Canada 11
- Faceoffs Won: Finland 11, Canada 9
- Faceoff Percentage: Finland 55%, Canada 45%
- Giveaways: Finland 8, Canada 5
- Takeaways: Both teams 1
Period 2
Kevin Lankinen (FIN) continued to guard the net for Finland. At the beginning of the period, it seemed both teams had settled in, but this could be problematic for Finland (FIN), who is trailing significantly and needs a spark. Kevin Lankinen (FIN) made a stick save on a shot by Canada (CAN). Brayden Point (CAN) moved into the zone, Connor McDavid (CAN) got it to Cale Makar (CAN), but the play was broken up. Sidney Crosby (CAN) made a sweet pass to get the puck over to Nathan MacKinnon (CAN) after a turnover. Nathan MacKinnon (CAN) released the puck and got it past Kevin Lankinen (FIN) at 05:03, assisted by Sidney Crosby (CAN) and Sam Reinhart (CAN). Canada (CAN) is now up 4-0 over the Finns.
Goalie Change (FIN): Juuse Saros (FIN) has now replaced Kevin Lankinen (FIN) in net for Finland.
McDavid (CAN) found Makar (CAN) but was unable to connect on the net. Later, Mikael Granlund’s (FIN) attempt went wide of the net. Brandon Hagel (CAN) made a shot, but it was gloved by Juuse Saros (FIN) with just over 6 minutes remaining in the middle period. Finland (FIN) gets a powerplay chance after 15:25 as Devon Toews (CAN) is penalized for slashing. This is a critical moment for Finland to capitalize on the man advantage and try to reduce the deficit. Brandon Hagel (CAN) is largely getting in the Finns’ way at this point with just minutes remaining in the period.
Canada continues their aggressive offensive play and maintained their strong defensive efforts to keep Finland at bay as we finished out the second period.
Statistics
- Shots on Goal: Finland 13, Canada 8
- Shots off Goal: Finland 5, Canada 1
- Shooting Percentage: Finland 0% (0/13), Canada 12.5% (1/8)
- Blocked Shots: Finland 5, Canada 9
- Goalkeeper Saves: Finland 7, Canada 13
- Save Percentage: Finland 87.5% (7/8), Canada 100% (13/13)
- Penalties: Finland 0, Canada 1
- Penalty Minutes (PIM): Finland 0, Canada 2
- Power Play Percentage: Finland 0% (0/1), Canada 0% (0/0)
- Penalty Killing Percentage: Finland 100% (0/0), Canada 100% (1/1)
- Hits: Finland 7, Canada 8
- Faceoffs Won: Finland 7, Canada 8
- Faceoff Percentage: Finland 46.67%, Canada 53.33%
- Giveaways: Finland 5, Canada 5
- Takeaways: Finland 2, Canada
Period 3
Heading into the third period, Finland needs to capitalize on any power play opportunities by setting up effective plays and getting quality shots on goal. Tightening their defense will be crucial, which means reducing turnovers and quickly clearing the puck out of their zone. Increasing offensive pressure is also key, with players like Mikael Granlund needing to step up and take more shots. Matching Canada’s physicality with more hits can help disrupt their flow and possibly create turnovers. At this point, it is do or die for Finland, so a no-holds-barred approach will be needed.
On the other hand, Canada will likely continue their aggressive offensive play, utilizing the speed and skill of players like Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon to create scoring chances. With a lead, Canada might opt for a more controlled forecheck, focusing on maintaining their defensive structure while still applying pressure to prevent Finland from easily exiting their zone. Solid defense, especially in blocking shots and breaking up Finland’s plays, will be essential, along with avoiding unnecessary penalties. Effective penalty killing is crucial if they find themselves shorthanded, and they should aim to control the pace of the game, using their lead to dictate the flow and force Finland to play on their terms.
Canada kept the Finns off-kilter for much of the first few minutes of the last period. Despite a nice shot by the Finns on the net, it went over the shoulder of Jordan Binnington (CAN). Sidney Crosby (CAN) set up Sam Reinhart (CAN) for a shot, but it was kicked out by Juuse Saros (FIN), showcasing his crucial save to keep Finland in the game.
Finland entered the zone, but Canada intercepted, again keeping the Finns on their heels. Sebastian Aho (FIN) got a shot on net, but once again, Jordan Binnington (CAN) made the glove save. Connor McDavid (CAN) got on the puck, but the Finns fought hard to get it clear. Sidney Crosby (CAN) tried to get the puck, and was battled up against the boards. With half of the period remaining, the Finns were just unable to get any traction with the puck.
Anthony Cirelli (CAN) made a move with the puck to the net, but Juuse Saros (FIN) managed to move it out, keeping the score unchanged. Esa Lindell (FIN) got the Finns on the board, assisted by Artturi Lehkonen (FIN), ending the shutout bid for Canada at 13:19. The score was now 1-4, with Lindell scoring for Finland.
After the goal, Juuse Saros (FIN) was pulled from the net for the extra attacker, as Finland tried to mount a comeback. With just under 4 minutes to go, Finland has quite the hill to climb. After the faceoff at the left circle, Aleksander Barkov (FIN) made a shot on net but was unable to get through. A shot from the left on Jordan Binnington (CAN) was denied.
Under two minutes left to go, and the Finns are staying in Canada’s zone, trying to make it happen. They do with a second chance at the puck by number 92, past the legs. Juuse Saros (FIN) was back out of the net once more. Mikael Granlund (FIN) scored the second goal at 18:20, assisted by Patrik Laine (FIN), making it 2-4. Granlund (FIN) then scored the third goal at 18:43, assisted by Aleksander Barkov (FIN) and Sebastian Aho (FIN), making it 3-4. Suddenly, Finland is back in the thick of it. Finland thought there should have been an icing call, but play resumed. Saros went back to the bench once again, and it was Sidney Crosby (CAN) who ended the surge by Finland, getting the empty netter at 19:05.
Canada hung on to the lead as the seconds ticked down, winning in regulation with a stunning final score of 5-3.
Statistics
- Shots on Goal: Finland 9, Canada 9
- Shots off Goal: Finland 6, Canada 6
- Shooting Percentage: Finland 11.11% (1/9), Canada 33.33% (3/9)
- Blocked Shots: Finland 7, Canada 6
- Goalkeeper Saves: Finland 6, Canada 8
- Save Percentage: Finland 66.67% (6/9), Canada 100% (8/8)
- Penalties: Finland 0, Canada 0
- Penalty Minutes (PIM): Finland 0, Canada 0
- Power Play Percentage: Finland 0% (0/0), Canada 0% (0/0)
- Penalty Killing Percentage: Finland 100% (0/0), Canada 100% (0/0)
- Hits: Finland 3, Canada 4
- Faceoffs Won: Finland 9, Canada 10
- Faceoff Percentage: Finland 47.37%, Canada 52.63%
- Giveaways: Finland 5, Canada 6
- Takeaways: Finland 0, Canada 0
- Empty Net Goals: Finland 0, Canada 1
Game Stat Summary
- Shots on Goal: Finland 26, Canada 28
- Shots off Goal: Finland 17, Canada 9
- Shooting Percentage: Finland 11.54% (3/26), Canada 17.86% (5/28)
- Blocked Shots: Finland 17, Canada 18
- Goalkeeper Saves: Finland 23, Canada 23
- Save Percentage: Finland 85.19% (23/27), Canada 88.46% (23/26)
- Penalties: Finland 0, Canada 1
- Penalty Minutes (PIM): Finland 0, Canada 2
- Power Play Goals: Finland 0, Canada 0
- Shorthanded Goals: Finland 0, Canada 0
- Power Play Percentage: Finland 0% (0/1), Canada 0% (0/0)
- Penalty Killing Percentage: Finland 100% (0/0), Canada 100% (1/1)
- Hits: Finland 19, Canada 22
- Faceoffs Won: Finland 28, Canada 26
- Faceoff Percentage: Finland 51.85%, Canada 48.15%
- Giveaways: Finland 19, Canada 15
- Takeaways: Finland 3, Canada 2
- Empty Net Goals: Finland 0, Canada 1
Goaltenders
Jordan Binnington (CAN): Played 60:00 minutes, faced 23 shots, and had a save percentage of 88.46%.
Kevin Lankinen (FIN): Played 25:03 minutes, faced 9 shots, and had a save percentage of 69.23%.
Juuse Saros (FIN): Played 31:00 minutes, faced 14 shots, and had a perfect save percentage of 100.00%.
Stars of the Game:
First Star/Player of the Game: Nathan MacKinnon (CAN): 2 goals, 2 assists, 3 points
Second Star: Mikael Granlund (FIN): 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points
Third Star: Sam Reinhart (CAN): 3 goals, 3 assists, 3 points
Top five players based on Time On Ice (TOI)
- Esa Lindell (FIN): 27:21
- Aleksander Barkov (FIN): 24:09
- Cale Makar (CAN): 23:57
- Niko Mikkola (FIN): 23:37
- Mikko Rantanen (FIN): 23:32
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