Winning Experience Favors Canada at 4 Nations Final

Canada's winning experience might be too much for the United States to overcome at the 4 Nations Face-Off final.

Feb 15, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Mark Stone (61) and teammate Team Canada defenseman Thomas Harley (48) check Team United States forward Jake Guentzel (59) in the third period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images / Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Canada and the United States meet in the finals of the 4 Nations Face-Off. It's a dream matchup between two of the best international teams, capping off an exciting two weeks of hockey that's elevated the sport.

The United States enters the gold medal game as the best team in the tournament. They dispatched Canada 3-1 in their round-robin game, dominated Finland, and lost a meaningless 2-1 contest to Sweden, playing shorthanded. Their roster is dynamic, and their starting goalie, Connor Hellebuyck, is at the apex of the position.

Canada received a punch in the mouth, literally and figuratively, from the United States. They rebounded with a drudging of Finland to clinch a rematch with Team USA. They enter the finals with just as dynamic a roster and one sizable advantage: their history of winning. Across every position group, Canada is loaded with other-worldly talent and a large collection of championship trophies.

The United States is riding high and on the verge of sweeping international competition. Canada hopes its roster plays its best at this crucial time.

History suggests they will do that. Thirteen players slated to play for Canada in the 4 Nations final have hoisted the sport's greatest prize, and a cumulative 18 Stanley Cups have been won.

Contrarily, only three United States players have won the Stanley Cup: Jack Eichel, Jake Guentzel, and Matthew Tkachuk. Sidney Crosby, captain of Canada and the Pittsburgh Penguins, has won the Cup thrice in his 20 years in the NHL.

Winning in the past doesn't guarantee victory in the future. What it does prove, however, is that Canada has a lineup that's already won on the grandest stages. The United States roster is still trying to prove themselves on the international stage, and many of the players are still doing the same thing in the NHL. That advantage for Canada might not feel like it, but it might be the difference between who leaves the 4 Nations Face-Off with the gold medal.

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