The 4-Nations tournament caught lightning in a bottle and became something historic overnight. There are times when world or life events conspire to raise the level of fame and intensity for people and events. 4-Nations is such a case.
Another recent example: I interviewed Frank Seravalli on the Lowdown on the day Gritty debuted as the Philadelphia Flyers mascot. Frank described Gritty in great detail and predicted another indifferent hockey persona. That very night Gritty fell on his ass on the ice and a legend was born. Gritty is now one of the most famous hockey mascots ever because he fell down and people fell in love. You can’t predict these events, but Gritty is the real thing now.
The 4-Nations was a fairly pedestrian tournament when Sweden and Finland were playing, but the Canada-USA tilt Saturday (and the one tonight) is fires of hell brilliance. World events have conspired to make this personal, and the result is fantastic hockey. Speed, skill, hammer of the Gods hits and the kind of nastiness that only comes from anger and hate and bile. It shows how quickly humanity can turn on a dime, as friends become foes in a single heartbeat.
The Saturday intensity saw the USA side take a penalty and go down a goal early, and I do think it behooves the Americans to have a little more control this evening. The USA can win this game, but allowing Canada even one power play invites danger.
For the Canadians, it comes down to goaltending and quick outlets via tape-to-tape passes. I like Canada’s chances if the team’s goalie stops nine of 10 shots. It’s going to be a helluva tilt.
I don’t have much to say about the tournament itself, my only wish for the 4-Nations is no injuries.
If I had a second wish, it would be for Connor McDavid to arrive back in Edmonton to a line that can percolate with him. One of the keys to the deadline is Stan Bowman finding wingers for the captain (not named Leon Draisaitl) who help him push the river. Consider this:
The scoring away from Draisaitl is down, but together the two men are hammering like Dick Pound at a drug-testing convention. However, McDavid-Nuge w/o Draisaitl is a low-scoring unit that delivers 53 percent of the goal share. McDavid-Hyman without Draisaitl is a popgun offense with a 44 percent goal share (all numbers five-on-five). It seems like nothing rhymes, despite clocks that chime in expected goals. It’s a mystery, girl.
I hope the captain can find a way to unlock his line upon return. Maybe there’s a trade out there.
The Lowdown hits at noon and we’ll talk 4-Nations Final and Connor McDavid’s date with history. The captain has been robbed of these international tilts and I can’t wait to see how he performs this evening. GO CANADA! We’ll also talk baseball (first Cactus league game goes this morning!) and NBA (Lakers are interesting again). I’m at Lowetide on twitter, in the comments section here and on the Sports 1440 text line at 1.833.401.1440 directly. We can be heard at sports1440.ca; iHeartRadio, Radioplayer Canada, it’s available post-show on apple and spotify, and we tweet it out on X.
I choose to believe that Auston Matthews left McDavid so wide open because he saw Marner in the corner and thought Marner would just pass it to him like normal.
“Marny? It’s me.. your best pal.. Auston.. give me the puck.. you know you want to”
I’m thinking (fingers crossed) Connor will be on fire when the season re-starts. His performance throughout the 4N has been special… tonight was other-worldly.
Players on both sides who exceeded my expectations:
Brandon Hagel, Sam Bennett, Colton Parayko, Zack Werenski, Jake Guentzel, Matt Boldy, Dylan Larkin
Players on both sides who I thought seemed surprisingly invisible:
Sam Reinhart, Mark Stone, Adam Fox, Jack Hughes
I’d say Hughes and Fox for sure. Invisible.
For Stone, I have reduced expectations at this stage of this career — I’d rather see him be the best player on the 4th line than weigh down Connor or Sid.
Bennett and Parayko performed as expected; Larkin and Guentzel brought it, so did Doughty as the games progressed. I kind of expect them to show up in the big moments.
If I have to be magnanimous in victory….Jaccob Slavin played an absolute hell of a game. He might be the most underrated player in hockey. Shades of Lidstrom in terms of how he always makes the right play. This game wouldn’t have made it to overtime without his defensive plays.
Slavin is a literal beast.
Other than, say, McAvoy or Hedman, nobody has defended McDavid more effectively over the last few years.
I was big on trying to trade for Slavin at the TDL last year, and this is why.
He’s the epitome of LT’s defensive defenseman who doesn’t chop the puck square.
By all accounts, he’s an absolute stand-up human being too.
New #1 song in Canada by Puff McDeity: “It’s All About the Binningtons”.
I thought that was a composition by Harry Partch.
Nice to hear that Klingberg was busy in EDM practicing with the Oil Kings while a good portion of the grey beards were (deservedly) chilling in Cabo, etc.
And young Matt Savoie in town, too!
What a symbolic passing of the ‘golden goal’ torch from one generational talent to the next
It’s just poetic.
Lemieux in 1987, Crosby in 2010, McDavid in 2025.
This is our national poetry.
And at a perfect time too.
I know it’s not the Olympics, but given the geopolitical context, to me this matches 1987 and 2010.
I couldn’t agree more. From Trump to the Tkachuks, America wants to play the bully. It was the perfect time for a Canadian team to demonstrate our resolve and backbone.
Canadian unity is growing again and that’s a good thing.
Pat King, is that you?
What was going through my mind was the old 1972 cheer, “Da, Da, Canada, Nyet, Nyet, Soviet”
Don’t forget Henderson ’72.
I can’t really remember, as I wasn’t alive then. (And unlike the others, Henderson wasn’t the best player in the game when he scored the goal…or in the case of Lemieux, the soon-to-be best.)
But yeah, as far as epic goals go, “Henderson has scored for Canada!” was the ur-moment. He set the tone for the next half-century (and counting, hopefully).
Good gord Mr. Binnington! This is the most delicious crow I’ve ever eaten!!
Finally the puck cooperates with McD and he makes it rain. That was a cold blooded play. Nerves of steel. Perfect shot on helley
This is what happens when 97 gets the saves he deserves.
I enjoy equally seeing the pure joy on Mcdavids face and the crushing defeat on any Tkachuk.
Which Tkachuk?
I always hated Matthew from his Flames days but now I might despise Brady even more
If turtle had won the cup and 4 nations at the expense of McDavid within the space of a year… just gross and disgusting.
There’s more than one? I thought he was called Keith?
Brady in the post game lockeroom interview talking about how much it sucks and how he felt they deserved to win is pretty good.
lol
Put his picture beside “sore loser”.
“
soreloser”.All three!
US would be lucky if we let them be the 11th province after that loss.
fourth territory
It was a bit of a shame their esteemed leader couldn’t be there, in person, to see the raising of the Canadian flag on US soil.
Canada’s game.
My eyes must be deceiving me; but I thought I saw defensive stalwart Auston Matthews leave the best player in the world wide open, in overtime, for 4 steamboats.
The irony is that Matthews was actually quite good defensively this tournament – much better than he was offensively. But he also made the biggest mistake at the worst time.
Almost reminiscent of Ryan Miller in 2010.
I LOVE it that we come through in the clutch and not the US.
That’s the game though? little moments… I wonder if AM 34 saw his leaves teammate and hesitated or thought he could check / pressure him easily.
And, srsly, wicked shot by 97! Such a clean, elegant goal to win it.
The Smoky Quarter Papi is a mistake for certain. Missing all that special sauce.
Thankfully they didn’t have that gal singing the anthem again!!!!
The crowd knew what to do!
Calgary Puck cheering McDavid.
In latest news: The earth is flat.
A few gems, for posterity:
They also seem to have as much schadenfreude for Matt Tkachuk as we do.
Gotta give Team Canada brass a lot of credit. They made a lot of picks I wouldn’t have made (Bennett, Hagel, Binnington). And those guys really delivered.
3-2 OT wow. Just wow.
Americans were so close.
Btw, who scored the winning OT goal?
McDavid….clutch in a big game
Billington was spectacular in OT. That was an incredible performance!
Who knew that Craig Billington had it in him? 58 years young!
Matthews leaves McDavid of all people, open in, of all places, the slot. That was wild.
Just picture perfect.
Seeing the sad faces of the Tkachuks and Eichel ain’t bad either.
That’s why Binnington was the right choice.
That’s McDavid’s Crosby moment. The passing of the torch.
Congratulations to team Canada and Connor. The executive order ” Canada is the Hockey Capital of the World”
USA. Not tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
First star is Binnington though. Maybe a lesson for the goalie critics. Beauty goal Davo!!!
Yep, mostly Binnington this game.
Offensively this team will be much different next time around
I think McDavid should do a little tampering right now and ask Crosby to join the Oilers.
Jordan Binnington, sorry for all the bad things I said about you.
I didn’t want to jinx it, but this was the first game where I felt confident with him in our crease.
Connor McCanada!!!!
Great game by Bennington too
MachDavid’s patented precision strike ends the conflict.
Fought the puck all night, still comes through with a huge clutch goal. What a player.
What a game by Binnington as well.
Perhaps Matthews isn’t a Selke calibre player….
Not McDavid’s best game, but nobody is going to remember that.
Except for maybe McDavid himself! There is nobody who expects more of McDavid than McDavid.
Connor Mt David! The pinnacle!
Oh yeah.
Yes!!!! That’s our boy!!
YYYYYYYEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
I THINK I’M GONNA HAVE A HEART ATTACK!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I’ve had a couple of heart attacks. Don’t recommend them!!!
Wooohooo
McDavid says “eat my ass”
That’s our boy
There it is – hero time.
Was there any doubt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Connor!!!!!
Well, Bennington has done his job and then some.
Yes keeping us in the game. US with the momentum so far in OT.
The Oilers play in 38 hours – going to be a tough turnaround for McDavid. I guess for Sanheim as well (and Koneckny, but he’s not playing).
Not sure about McDavid….but they did mention some of these guys will get some time off.
Fk give him a week off
I’m sure some will – do you imagine McDavid not in the lineup on Saturday?
CF
Marchand 14/ 3
Bennett 15 / 5
Jarvis 17/ 2
Yeah, another smart move by the coaching staff going with Jarvis over Konecny.
Boy did Sam Bennett ever play an inspired game.
ESPN trolling viewers with the ol’ C-L-R on screen while showing the players on the ice.
Brayden point does not look like he has any chem with McDavid
Not alot of chem on any line. Can’t believe Cooper has stuck with status quo. Short tourney I guess
Like 5 Sog and you keep almost everything intact?
Puck is replaced with a hand grenade whenever Mcdavid comes near.
Yep
McDavid continues to fight the puck tonight. Waiting for the hero moment.
Meanwhile, Bennett, Marchand and Jarvis are OWNING US souls.
Didn’t have to wait long!
I absolutely cannot believe how that puck has not cooperated with McD. It’s like the opposite of hockey gods. Did they make the ice crap to suit that blue team of plugs (except for Eichel..)?
Downvote?! It was a bloody joke!
Time to get Mcdavid on another line. He hasn’t been very good in fairness to his line mates.
Hard to believe Cooper has kept everything intact. Throw bennett up there in place of stone to create some chaos.
Man, Parayko has been good all tourney
Great pressure by our boys. But why can’t McDavid handle the puck?!
Yeah McDavid is off tonight. It’s a shame, I’d love to see him get one here