Mitch Marner scored the goal of his life on Wednesday night in a game in which he didn’t play particularly well for Team Canada.
That’s the way it goes sometimes in international hockey.
Auston Matthews didn’t score a goal on Thursday night when he was strong and smart and often dominant for Team USA in a blowout 6-1 win over Finland.
This is just a small part of all that has happened after two nights in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. So much to consider, so much to wonder about in so short a time frame.
The Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew, have already scored four goals for USA and have already had their lines switched to match these special players together. Sidney Crosby, in Year 20 of his professional career, had three assists for Canada against Sweden. Norris Trophy candidate Zach Werenski, with Team USA playing without possible Norris winner Quinn Hughes, picked up three assists for the Americans against Finland.
This four-team tournament is not just about the Canadians and the Americans, although it does feel that way. It’s about what happens Saturday afternoon when Sweden plays Finland. It’s about what happens when wins are worth three points in a brief tournament and overtime wins are only worth two.
All this happening in Montreal, where Canada will have the crowd on its side at the Bell Centre for this bout Saturday night — but that will change if the two teams meet in the finals, with that game coming in Boston.
Boston isn’t quite Montreal for atmosphere. It won’t be electric the way Bell Centre is electric. But the rivalry that has consumed hockey in the years without international play — Canada vs. USA — becomes as real as it can be on Saturday night, and Saturday afternoon and again next week in the apparent final of the tournament.
But first, there is some math to do. Sweden has one point and Canada two after the first game of the tournament. Saturday afternoon, Sweden plays Finland. Should Sweden win, it puts them with four points.
If the USA beats Canada in regulation, the Canadians only would have two after two games.
If Canada beats the USA in regulation time, Canada would have five points and USA three.
That would put all kind of significance on the Sweden-USA game that follows.
The mathematical possibilities are rather crazy for a tournament many wondered about coming in. There should be no wondering any more. Game 1 with Canada against Sweden needed overtime and some crazy good saves in the third period and an extra period to determine the winner. The USA looked vulnerable for two periods against the undermanned Finns minus the superb Miro Heiskanen before Matthews drew a late penalty near the conclusion of the second period.
Team USA scored 15 seconds into the third period and then again at the 26-second mark of the period and that was basically it. The Finns had nothing left after that. They hung in as long as they could and didn’t get particularly good goaltending from Juuse Saros when they need superb goaltending.
And now comes Saturday night in Montreal. The tournament version of Hockey Night In Canada. Team Canada, with the best high-end players in the 4 Nations event playing Team USA, with the deepest team in the event.
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There were moments in Game 1 for Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon but only moments. Not enough of them. Not enough dominance for those who can dominate. The same for Cale Makar, the brilliant defenceman. They should be Canada’s three best players — Crosby was that in the opener. Canada needs its best players to be a little more Tkachuk, and I don’t mean physical.
The best player on Team USA is probably Matthews, followed by Jack Eichel. It would have been Quinn Hughes, had he been healthy enough to play. But the three stars in Montreal on Thursday night were Matthew Tkachuk, followed by brother Brady, followed by the Minnesota Wild’s Matt Boldy.
And for all he did at both ends of the ice, contributing both offensively and defensively, it could have been Matthews as the third star.
He had to feel great about playing this well against Sasha Barkov and Sebastian Aho, regular opponents of the Maple Leafs. And this will have to give him confidence — not that he lacks in that area — for the big matchup Saturday night.
It’ll now be lines centred by Eichel and Matthews against lines centred by McDavid and MacKinnon. And third lines centred by Brayden Point and J.T. Miller playing head to head. That by itself is exceptional.
Saturday night should be exceptional. The rest of the tournament can be as well. It still looks like Canada vs. USA for the championship — but there is much to happen between then and now.
Tournament hockey is always about building from one game and one day to the next. The first game can’t be your best. The last one should be.
“I’ve been thinking about this game for nine years,” Matthew Tkachuk told ESPN post game Thursday night. Right about now, many of us feel the exact same way.
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