It was the kind of hockey played when there were only six NHL teams, clubs met each other 14 times each season and the rivalries were fierce.
And it was the kind of hockey we don’t see any longer — for better or worse.
The U.S. defeated Canada 3-1 Saturday night at the Bell Centre as the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament continued, but the final score arguably was overshadowed by the start of the game — the first time these powerhouse hockey nations have met in a best-against-best international competition since 2016.
Three fights in the opening nine seconds; the first coming within two seconds, when Matthew Tkachuk fought Canada’s Brandon Hagel. One second later, following the next faceoff, Brady Tkachuk engaged Sam Bennett, playing his first game for Canada, before defenceman Colton Parayko, 6-foot-6 and 228 pounds, put a beating on J.T. Miller, who also received a cross-checking minor penalty for his troubles.
“He (Tkachuk) just told me we’re going,” said Hagel, who plays for Tampa Bay. “I wasn’t saying no. I wasn’t surprised, but I also think he wasn’t expecting what he got from me.”
The win improved the Americans’ record to 2-0 as the competition now shifts to Boston, where the home side, the pre-tournament favourite, has secured a spot in next Thursday’s championship game at TD Garden. Canada is now 1-1 and must defeat Finland on Monday afternoon (1 p.m.) or be eliminated. The Finns also are 1-1 after defeating Sweden in overtime Saturday afternoon.
Edmonton’s Connor McDavid opened the scoring for Canada at 5:31 of the first period before the Lightning’s Jake Guentzel tied the score midway through the period. Detroit’s Dylan Larkin scored the only goal of the second period — not long after hitting the post — before Guentzel scored into the empty net with 1:19 remaining.
The U.S. has the youngest team in the tournament and showed no signs of fatigue after defeating Finland on Thursday night. Canada, which has some age and experience, had been idle since Wednesday.
“A couple of guys that wanted to go to battle. I think that was an exciting start to a game,” Bennett said. “I had a feeling (there would be another fight) after Matthew went. Brady came over to me. I just feel like it was waiting to happen.”
Whether it was the majority of the 21,105 spectators who booed the Star-Spangled Banner that provoked the U.S., their players — or at least the feisty Tkachuk brothers — were the initiators behind the histrionics, while the Canadians had no choice but to engage.
“That’s them,” Bennett said of the siblings. “I’ve been with Matthew a long time (both at Calgary and Florida). I know he likes to get into it. He likes to get the fans into it. There’s no bigger stage than that. I definitely had a feeling something like that was going to happen at the start of the game.”
Canadian head coach Jon Cooper had his own spin on the first act of this historic encounter, but added once the fighting abated, the teams settled down to play tight-checking, physical and exciting hockey for the remaining 59 minutes. He stated none of the fisticuffs was pre-meditated.
There were 63 hits in the contest — 34 by the Americans.
“It wasn’t planned,” he said. “That wasn’t two coaches throwing guys over (the boards) saying this is happening. None of that happened. That was as organic as it gets. It was probably 10 years of no international hockey exhaled in a minute-and-a-half.
“Name a coach. It doesn’t work unless you have a team that cares,” Cooper added. “That test we passed tonight. We have a team that cares. The result’s unfortunate, but I don’t think anybody can leave that building and say that team didn’t stick up for each other and played with passion.”
The Canadians were without Colorado defenceman Cale Makar, arguably its top rearguard, who didn’t practice on Friday because of an undisclosed illness. While Makar remains eligible to return, he was replaced by Dallas’ Thomas Harley, who played well under the circumstances.
Instead, Canada’s bigger issue revolves around its goaltending, perhaps the most questionable position heading into this. While St. Louis’ Binnington stopped 20 shots for a save percentage of .909, he was weak on both goals he allowed and most certainly was outplayed by Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, the NHL’s best netminder. Hellebuyck faced 26 shots.
“The first one was tough. He just snuck it through the five-hole,” Binnington said. “The second one, a two-on-one, you want to make that save. That’s how the game goes. I competed and battled hard. Everyone in here wants to win and I want to be the guy in there (against Finland).”
Cooper might have no choice but turn to Vegas’ Adin Hill against Finland. The Canadiens’ Samuel Montembeault, the team’s third goalie, has yet to dress.
But along with finding someone who can stop the puck, Canada must rediscover its offence by Monday afternoon.
“I thought we had some good looks,” captain Sidney Crosby said. “We didn’t give up a ton either on the other side. I think it’s just a product of this hockey. It’s tight-checking. It’s fast. Not a lot of time in space. We generated enough to get a few more than that. It didn’t go.”
Crosby, who had three assists against Sweden, failed to generate a point on this night and was a minus-2. His turnover led to Larkin’s goal and he was a non-factor.