Get ready Canada there will be a cross-border rematch on American soil.
Team Canada booked its ticket to the 4 Nations Face-Off final on Thursday against the arch-rival United States with a must-win 5-3 victory over Team Finland at the TD Garden in Boston on Monday afternoon.
With their backs to the wall, the Canadians were assured there would be a tomorrow led by two-point efforts from Nathan MacKinnon and captain Sidney Crosby of Cole Harbour, N.S., along with a two-point game from Oilers’ superstar Connor McDavid.
Brayden Point also chipped in with a goal and Sam Reinhart had three helpers as the country served notice to Team USA that Canada would have a chance for revenge for a 3-1 loss to the Americans on Saturday night at the Bell Centre in the final of this tourney.
Goaltender Jordan Binnington made 26 stops but it took an empty-netter by Crosby to ice this one after Finland pulled within a goal.
“It was an ugly way to end the game and closer than we would have liked,” McDavid told Hockey Night in Canada. “I thought for 15 minutes (of the third) we did a good job wasting time, but it got close and a big goal by Sid.
“We let them back in late, but we found a way to get a win and it sets up a great one on Thursday.”
This was the first time Canada and Finland had met in a National Hockey League international tournament since the final of the World Cup of Hockey in 2004. Canada scored a 3-2 victory in that one in Toronto.
Well, it was worth the wait.
DO OR DIE
Canada’s best were at their best in this one and that was the difference.
Coach Jon Cooper opted to shift his lines around and one change he did make was taking Mitch Marner off McDavid’s wing and putting Point on that line instead.
Both factored in this one, but MacKinnon was the best player on the ice and Crosby stepped up when he was needed by delivering a hit before putting it into the empty net.
MacKinnon’s second of the game at 5:03 of the second gave Canada a 4-0 lead was all she wrote for Lankinen. He couldn’t do anything as MacKinnon fired it home on a one-time pass from Sidney Crosby.
“The last thing we wanted to do was go home,” MacKinnon said. “It was scary at the end, but Sid had the big empty-netter and got the job done.
“We finished on our opportunities. It’s tight out there and the best players in the league are checking hard right now. We had to rebound quickly after the USA game. It was a late night and a lot of emotions were high but we turned the page well.”
It also helped that defenceman Cale Makar, who missed Saturday’s game with an undisclosed ailment, returned for this one. He played 23:57 and was a key to this victory.
BINNINGTON RETURNS
Eyebrows were raised when Cooper decided to stick with Binnington in this pivotal game ahead of Vegas goalie Adin Hill.
Cooper stated at the start of the tourney that Binnington would be the club’s top goalie and didn’t change course after he gave up two bad goals in the loss to the States.
You had to start wondering if Cooper had made the right choice when the Finns came storming back with three goals on Binnington in five minutes and 24 seconds in the third.
“You knew they were going to push,” Binnington said.
First, Esa Lindell broke the shutout by Binnington, then Mikael Granlund scored twice in 23 seconds to pull the Finns to within a goal, but Crosby put it away to save Binnington and Canada from complete collapse.
“We got off to a great start,” Crosby said. “I thought we were playing on our toes. To get those (early goals) was huge and we were probably guilty of sitting back a little there late and they capitalized.”
Finnish goalie Kevin Lankinen was pulled after allowing four goals on 13 shots in 25 minutes, which left Jusse Saros to take over.
QUICK START
Canada served notice in 20 minutes it came to play.
Cooper moved forward Point to play with McDavid and it couldn’t have worked out much better. Point went to the net and was able to backhand home a rebound at 13:02 of the first to give Canada a 3-0 lead.
Canada outshot Finland 11-5 and it was exactly the start this country needed after scoring only once against the Americans.
Two goals in 46 seconds in the first period served notice this would be time for the Finns to pack their bags.
Canada’s Sam Reinhart chipped the puck behind the Finnish defence, MacKinnon used his speed to pick up the puck and made no mistake as he fired a blast by Lankinen on the stick side at 4:59.
McDavid fired a blast inside the post on Lankinen on the third shot he faced at 4:13 of the game. Lankinen didn’t even move because he was screened and Canada capitalized on a turnover by Roope Hintz.
Now, get ready for the next one against Team USA.