The stage is set for a thrilling matchup between the United States and Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off final. The U.S. secured its spot with a 3-1 win over Canada on Saturday, while Canada edged past Finland 5-3 to advance to the championship game.
For Team USA, defenseman Jaccob Slavin has been a key player in their success so far, averaging over 23 minutes of ice time per game and anchoring a penalty kill that has gone perfect through two games. The X factor for the U.S. lies in its ability to capitalize on special teams, as it has scored all four power-play goals through two games without one of its top players, Quinn Hughes.
Meanwhile, Canada’s Connor McDavid has been instrumental in their progress, scoring crucial goals and dominating the game against Finland. However, the team’s scoring depth remains a concern, relying heavily on its top two lines to generate offense. If Canada can tap into its bottom-six talent, they may have an edge in the final.
In goal, both teams’ netminders have shown promise. U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck has allowed just two goals total in two games, while Canada’s Jordan Binnington has had a solid outing against Finland, but must now deliver a complete performance to outdo Hellebuyck.
The final is set for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+/Disney+, and hockey fans can expect an intense rivalry clash between the two North American rivals.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/43894127/nhl-4-nations-face-team-usa-canada-preview-goalies-x-factors-keys-victory