Team Canada star Connor McDavid sent Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and rest of the teammates a stern message ahead of Monday’s do-or-die matchup with Finland.
The regulation loss to Team USA has put Canada on the ropes in the NHL’s Four Nations Face-Off. Team Canada must defeat Finland on Monday to stay alive, and Connor McDavid didn’t hesitate to remind Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and the rest of the team about the magnitude of the upcoming game.
McDavid opened the scoring for Canada against its southern neighbors, but that was the only time they managed to get one past American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.
USA came back to take a 2-1 lead and held on to it, thanks to a remarkable collective effort, before sealing the deal with an empty net goal in the dying seconds. The Americans walked away with all three points, clinching their place in the Championship Game, while Canada will have to defeat Finland in regulation, in order to qualify to the decisive round.
It’s clear the margin of error has disappeared for Canada, and it has its back against the wall. For the first time, NHL players face a crucial game in mid-February. Ahead of the clash with the Suomi side, McDavid sent a bold reminder to Crosby, Marchand, and the rest of the players in the locker room.
Connor McDavid #97 of Team Canada celebrates his goal against Team USA at 5:31 of the first period in the 4 Nations Face-Off game at the Bell Centre on February 15, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
“Monday is like a Game Seven,” McDavid openly stated, via Sportsnet. McDavid will definitely hope this Game Seven plays out different to the last win-or-go-home game he featured in, when his Edmonton Oilers fell 2-1 to the Florida Panthers during the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
Team Canada’s Brandon Hagel takes dig at Matthew Tkachuk after fight during loss vs USA
Far from over
Canada is still in a strong position to make the Championship Game, and when it comes to title matches, how each team arrives at the date often has no bearing—it’s a whole new story.
“It was fast, tight-checking, competitive, emotional,” Connor McDavid admitted, per NHL.com. “It had everything you would want in a hockey game. It [stinks] it didn’t go our way, but this thing’s far from over.”
Brad Marchand #63 of Canada takes questions during media day ahead of the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off at the Bell Centre on February 11, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
As long as Canada features Crosby, MacKinnon, McDavid, and so many other sensational superstars, they can never be counted out, and although USA is ecstatic about their win in Montreal, it sleeps with an eye open, as Canada is still lurking in the competition.
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