Teams USA – CanucksBanter

By NHL Public Relations

February 15, 2025

Canada and USA will contest their 15th all-time game in an NHL International Tournament, including facing off in two finals – USA won the three-game series 2-1 in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and Canada claimed the 1991 Canada Cup by winning the first two contests.

The last two games of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey final, as well as the opening contest of the 1991 Canada Cup final, were played in Montreal.

USA and Canada 411

Canada and USA met in the gold medal game at the Olympic Winter Games in two of five years to date that NHL players participated, with a Mario Lemieux-captained Canada claiming gold in 2002 Salt Lake City (Canada’s first Olympic gold medal in 50 years at the time) and Sidney Crosby scoring the famous overtime “Golden Goal” on home soil in Vancouver in 2010 – a Canadian team that also included Drew Doughty.
The last time these countries met in a best-on-best contest in Montreal, Canada defeated USA 2-1 in a round-robin game at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Current USA general manager Bill Guerin scored USA’s lone goal in that contest, while current Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis recorded 1-1—2 including an assist on Joe Sakic’s game-winning goal.

Source: nhl.com

By NHL Public Relations

February 13, 2025

The second game of the 4 Nations Face-Off will pit a new era of USA stars – they are the only team without a player returning from the 2016 World Cup of Hockey – led by first-time national team captain Auston Matthews against a Finland team captained by Aleksander Barkov, who is one of four members of the reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers on the roster.

USA and Finland 411

This will mark the seventh all-time meeting between the countries in an NHL International Tournament, with the two most recent coming in the semifinals. Finland’s last victory in an NHL International Tournament was against USA in the semifinals of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, with longtime Canadiens legend Saku Koivu netting the game winner.
In the 1991 Canada Cup, Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Mullen netted what would become the game-winning goal in a 7-3 semifinals victory for the United States. In both cases, Finland and USA reached the final of an NHL International Tournament for the first time.
The reigning Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who lead all teams with eight players participating in the tournament, will be well represented in Thursday’s contest with Matthew Tkachuk skating for USA and Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola on Finland’s roster.
Barkov (8-14—22 in 24 GP) and Tkachuk (6-16—22 in 24 GP) were tied for the team playoff scoring lead during Florida’s run to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 2024.
Prior to Tkachuk joining the Panthers, he and Barkov went head-to-head in the NHL nine times, with Tkachuk holding the edge in both points (5-7—12 in 9 GP) and team record (6-2-1). Barkov also produced at a point-per-game rate in those contests (2-7—9 in 9 GP; 3-5-1 record).
Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk will suit up together on the international stage for the first time, and also the first time on any team outside of the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. They will become the 14th set of brothers to play on the same team in an NHL International Tournament and the fifth to do so with USA, joining Derian and Kevin Hatcher (1996 WCH), Aaron and Neal Broten (1984 CC), Brian and Joe Mullen (1984 CC) and Curt and Harvey Bennett (1976 CC).
The Hatcher brothers are the only siblings, from any country, to win an NHL International Tournament together.