After two weeks of exhilarating hockey the first 4 nation tournament is over after the championship game between the American and Canadian hockey teams. After 60 minutes of hockey both sides were even with two goals, and sudden death overtime was required. 8 minutes and 18 seconds into the extra frame, NHL 3-time MVP, Connor McDavid came up big, scoring the overtime winning goal to clinch the championship for Canada.

Coming into the game the US’s healthy scratches were Kyle Connor, who was taken out of the lineup after not making a big impact in the first three games, and third string goalie Jeremy Swayman. Canada’s healthy scratches were Travis Konecny who failed to register a point and was a -3 in the two games he played and third string goalie Sam Montembeault. Just under 5 minutes into the game Nathan MacKinnon opened the scoring for Canada. The play started with Zach Werenski failing to get his pass around the boards through Sam Reinhart after a dump in from the neutral zone. From behind the net Reinhart sent the puck to Thomas Harley at the point who passed the puck to MacKinnon who was skating out of the left corner. MacKinnon held onto the puck skating around the perimeter of the zone before releasing a shot from the point, which made it through multiple players and into the back of the net. The goal was assisted by Sam Reinhart and Thomas Harley and was MacKinnon’s 4th goal of the tournament.

Later that period Brady Tkachuk tied the game up with just over 3 minutes left in the period. The play started with Devon Toews miss handling the puck after a neutral zone dump in allowing for USA captain Auston Matthews to retrieve the puck behind the net. After failing an attempted wrap-around the puck came to Brady Tkachuk in front of the net who jammed it past Jordan Binnington and into the goal. The goal was assisted by Auston Matthews and was Tkachuk’s 3rd goal of the tournament. Almost 7 and a half minutes into the second period the US scored their second consecutive goal to break the tie in their favor.

Like the first two goals of the game the play started with an effective forecheck, this time by Brady Tkachuk and Auston Matthews who were able to get the puck free to Dylan Larkin in the corner to the right of the goal. Larkin passed the puck to Zach Werenski at the point, who shot the puck through traffic and on goal. Jordan Binnington saved the puck with his left pad, but the puck came straight out the Matthews who shot the puck on his backhand just a few feet from the net, but Binnington was able to fight that one off too. The rebound came straight out, and no one was able to track Jake Sanderson who jumped up into the play in the chaos. He was able to beat Binnington who was out of position from making the previous save. The goal was assisted by Zach Werenski and Auston Matthews and was Jake Sanderson’s first of the tournament who was a late addition to the team replacing Charlie McAvoy in the lineup.

With 6 minutes left in the second period Sam Bennett tied the game. The play started with Adam Fox over shooting on a stretch pass to JT Miller in the neutral zone, leading to Mitch Marner taking possession. He skated the puck into the American’s zone with a three on two odd man rush for Canada. Marner passed the puck to Bennett who was able to shoot the puck over Connor Hellebuyck’s left shoulder and into the net. The goal was assisted by Mitch Marner and was Bennett’s first goal of the tournament. The rest of regulation remained scoreless, and overtime was needed to decide the 4-nation championship game. Just over 8 minutes into overtime Canada had an offensive zone faceoff to the left of Connor Hellebuyck.

Off the faceoff Connor McDavid got a shot off, the rebound popped out to Cale Makar at the point. Makar, who was being pressured by the US winger, rimmed the puck around the boards, going to Mitch Marner standing in the left corner. Marner then passed the puck to McDavid who was wide open in the slot and made no mistake shooting the puck past Hellebuyck and into the net. Auston Matthews messed up on the tournament winning goal as he left McDavid in the slot to pressure Marner who had the puck. Some blame can also arguably be put on the coaching staff for dressing Matthew Tkachuk who was dealing with injuries over Kyle Connor who was fully healthy (as far as we know).

Tkachuk played under 7 minutes and was not a big factor. Jordan Binnington performed very well throughout the game, especially in overtime making several clutch saves, and was a huge factor in Canada winning the game. Mitch Marner was also very productive in the win, setting up the goal scorer on Canada’s second and third goal, and obviously Connor McDavid was instrumental scoring the clutch game winner for Canada.