Canada had the first power play of the game but couldn’t score. However, their dominance was clear, and a few minutes later, Connor McDavid capitalized with a magnificent goal that electrified the Canadian fans in the arena, giving his team a 1-0 lead over the USA.
At the time of the game, Canada had few shots, but coach Jon Cooper knew what he was doing with his players. The assists from Drew Doughty and Jordan Binnington were no coincidence; it was clear the team was seeking that connection among the many available talents.
McDavid is well-versed in playing international games, with over twenty appearances on the ice in his senior career for Canada across various World Championships. This would be his first goal in the NHL‘s 4 Nations tournament.
Canada’s defense did a good job. After the goal, they withstood almost five full minutes of United States‘ onslaughts, but it was clear that the rival team was hungry for an equalizer. That finally came from Jake Guentzel, who also had the opportunity to score an empty-net goal in the last period against Canada.
McDavid Did All He Could
Connor McDavid was the Canadian player with the most time on ice, clocking 22:25 minutes, but he could only contribute three shots for the team. It was a good goal from him, but the team didn’t push to score more goals, despite McDavid having 49 assists and 22 goals this season with the Oilers.
Canada Needs a Win
If Canada wants a shot at revenge in the 4 Nations against the USA, they need to win their next game against Finland to reach five points and hope that it secures them a spot in the final. It must be a straight win because Sweden will also be fighting for a place in that last game, as they must win against the USA on February 17. It’s likely that some USA players will rest ahead of the final.
