Welcome to Instant Reaction — 4 Nations Face-Off edition! Typically, we give our Instant Reaction to <a class="text-accent" href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vancouver Canucks</a> games, but since those aren’t happening right now, we thought we’d do the same for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
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Early on in this game, it seemed to go exactly how the Finns wanted the game to go. Fairly low-event, with not a ton of scoring chances, keeping everything to the outside and lots of board battles.
That was, of course, until Connor McDavid had something to say about it.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🇨🇦 CANADA GOAL 🇨🇦
Connor McDavid opens the scoring! 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Finland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Finland</a> <a href="https://t.co/bBmfO26xjF">pic.twitter.com/bBmfO26xjF</a>
&mdash; Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891555406738047401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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McDavid picks off the Finns at the blue line and blazes through the slot, turning back when he loses his angle. Turning back, he waits until three bodies are in front of Kevin Lankinen and fires a quick wrist shot that Lankinen can&#8217;t track to open the scoring.
1-0 Canada.
And you just knew after a slow game against <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/statsies-4-nations-face-off-roundup-canadas-finishing-woes-nordic-rivals-inseparable-usas-defensive-clinic">Team USA</a> that Nathan MacKinnon was going to respond early.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🇨🇦 CANADA GOAL 🇨🇦
Nathan MacKinnon scores 46 seconds after Connor McDavid! It&#39;s 2-0 Canada! 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Finland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Finland</a> <a href="https://t.co/D2xAcRLZqv">pic.twitter.com/D2xAcRLZqv</a>
&mdash; Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891556102749266147?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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MacKinnon wins the puck battle in the neutral zone and fires it off the boards for Sam Reinhart. Knowing MacKinnon&#8217;s speed is unmatched, Reinhart sends the puck ahead for MacKinnon to skate onto. He does just that and is in all alone. Unfortunately for Lankinen, MacKinnon fires the puck behind him before he could even react to it.
Just 46 seconds after McDavid gave <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-canadian-offence-stumped-connor-hellebuyck-american-defence-3-1-loss">Team Canada</a> the lead, MacKinnon adds to it.
2-0 Canada.
Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper tinkered with all four of his lines. Most notably, putting Brayden Point and Mark Stone on McDavid&#8217;s wings. And that paid off early.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🇨🇦 CANADA GOAL 🇨🇦
Brayden Point puts Canada up 3-0! 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Finland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Finland</a> <a href="https://t.co/TDgG6syThI">pic.twitter.com/TDgG6syThI</a>
&mdash; Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891560239918366784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The speed of Connor McDavid is just strictly unmatched, especially for a weaker Finnish defence corps. He takes it from Canada&#8217;s zone, through the neutral zone and into Finland&#8217;s end of the ice. Once he passes the blueline, McDavid fires a cross-ice pass to Travis Sanheim, who fires it off Lankinen&#8217;s pad. It was a nice save on Lankinen&#8217;s behalf. However, Point has the inside track to grab that rebound and do a quick deke to his backhand to get it past Lankinen.
These line changes are starting to pay off in a big way.
Team Canada ran away with a dominant first period, outshooting the Finns 11-5 and taking a 3-0 to the locker room for the first intermission.
The second period started fairly similarly to the start of the first period: a slower start and a Nathan MacKinnon goal within the first five minutes.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🇨🇦 CANADA GOAL 🇨🇦
Nathan MacKinnon scores his second goal of the game! It&#39;s 4-0 Canada!
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Finland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Finland</a> <a href="https://t.co/NmexcKduid">pic.twitter.com/NmexcKduid</a>
&mdash; Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891569841372279000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Crosby and Sam Reinhart&#8217;s forechecking is too much for the Finnish defence to handle. The puck finds the stick of Crosby, who quickly finds MacKinnon in a crowd full of Finns and beats Lankinen for his second of the game.
4-0 Canada.
After this goal, Team Finland&#8217;s head coach Antti Pennanen made the goaltending change, pulling Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen for the Nashville Predators netminder, who started the tournament, Juuse Saros.
Despite outshooting Canada 12-8 in the middle frame, there really wasn&#8217;t a significant threatening push by the Finns to claw their way back into this game.
That was until four minutes remaining in the second period when Devon Toews took a slashing penalty on Joel Armia. There were some scrambles in front, but Binnington stopped both shots he faced. He just loves big games in TD Garden; hey Bruins fans?
This is where <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/rick-tocchet-message-elias-pettersson-4-nations-fun">Rick Tocchet</a> hockey shines, baby. Big lead in the third period, let&#8217;s play some low-event hockey, protect the guts of the ice and walk away with the win. In a win and you&#8217;re in type game like this, that&#8217;s all you have to do. However, it&#8217;s not an exciting brand of hockey to watch.
Canadian defenders didn&#8217;t pinch up for offence. Canadian forwards were content to dump the puck in and go for the quick change to keep legs fresh. But there really wasn&#8217;t much else exciting going on. That was until Esa Lindell gave Team Finland a glimmer of hope.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🇫🇮 FINLAND GOAL 🇫🇮
Esa Lindell breaks the shutout bid for Jordan Binnington. 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Finland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Finland</a> <a href="https://t.co/HvSBMKOuHL">pic.twitter.com/HvSBMKOuHL</a>
&mdash; Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891586732841168954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After a strong forecheck from the Finns, the puck leaks down the right side boards. Lindell sends a quick backhand pass to the faceoff dot, but the Finn forward can&#8217;t corral it but is able to tip it back to Lindell. The defenceman steps up, takes the ice that he&#8217;s given and fires a shot that just beats Binnington above the pad and below the blocker to ruin his shutout.
4-1 Canada.
Binnington has been good up until this point, but you&#8217;ve got to imagine this is one that he wants to have back. Ruining your shutout with a shot that just goes through you is disappointing.
Finland pulled their goalie early, with over four minutes remaining. MacKinnon was out there to try and get his hat trick. However, Aleksander Barkov blocked the centre-ice attempt. The play stayed in the Canadian zone, and then the chaos ensured.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🇫🇮 FINLAND GOAL 🇫🇮
Mikael Granlund cuts Canada&#39;s lead to two. 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Finland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Finland</a> <a href="https://t.co/xzovMWpYMa">pic.twitter.com/xzovMWpYMa</a>
&mdash; Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891589538067206455?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After some chaos in front of the net, the puck found its way to Patrik Laine along the half-wall. He sends a quick pass to Mikael Granlund, who sends it through Binnington&#8217;s five-hole.
4-2 Canada.
But the Finns weren&#8217;t done there.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🇫🇮 FINLAND GOAL 🇫🇮
Mikael Granlund makes this a one goal game late in the third period! 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Finland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Finland</a> <a href="https://t.co/YrBYZo7xaL">pic.twitter.com/YrBYZo7xaL</a>
&mdash; Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891589957749182846?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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From a very similar spot, Mikael Granlund receives the Aleksander Barkov pass and makes no mistake but this time buries it past Binnington and into the top corner.
4-3 Canada.
But right when you need him, Captain Canada always has your back.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
🇨🇦 CANADA GOAL 🇨🇦
Sidney Crosby puts the puck into the empty net! It&#39;s 5-3 Canada! 
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canada?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canada</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Finland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Finland</a> <a href="https://t.co/FsefQBeFG8">pic.twitter.com/FsefQBeFG8</a>
&mdash; Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891590396813230481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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What a play from Sidney Crosby. With all the momentum on Team Finland&#8217;s side, Crosby steps up and makes a big open-ice hit on the hottest player on the ice and his former teammate to knock the puck loose. He then gets the pass and quickly goes from in his hand to off his stick and into the open net to kill any hope from Team Finland.
5-3 Canada.
<h2>CAs Player of the game</h2>
Team Canada &#8211; Nathan MacKinnon
This was hard not to give to Crosby after the amazing play on the empty net goal. However, Nathan MacKinnon&#8217;s two goals, one being the eventual game-winner, stand as the player of the game in our eyes.
Team Finland &#8211; Mikael Granlund
Granlund single-handedly resurrected the lives of Team Finland in this game. He scored two goals late in the game, but it was just too little, too late for the Finns.
Not to take a victory lap, but these were two of the guys we mentioned as <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/4-nations-preview-vancouver-canucks-lankinen-gets-start-finlands-pivotal-match-against-canada">players to watch for this game.</a>
<h2>Takeaways</h2>
&#8211; This was a much better game for Team Canada. They looked like a completely different team. Canada played with a defensive structure that really limited what the Finns offensively. They gave the Finns clear shooting lanes from distance on Binnington and trusted him to make the plays.
&#8211; It&#8217;s hard to go away from Binnington after the win. But at the end of the game, there was definitely something to be worried about. I thought today was a perfect opportunity to go to Adin Hill, see what you have in him and decide from there. Just give him a very short leash, and don&#8217;t be afraid to put Binnington in if you don&#8217;t like what you&#8217;re seeing. I guess we won&#8217;t get to see that, but Team Canada&#8217;s chances to win start and end with Binnington in the finals.
&#8211; Hats off to Jon Cooper for his line changes. He switched all four of his lines, and they all looked better. Brayden Point and Mark Stone looked like they better complimented Connor McDavid — Point&#8217;s high-end skill around the front of the net with the puck and Stone&#8217;s hockey IQ. Sam Reinhart added three assists despite being an off-the-puck player in the offensive zone. But that&#8217;s exactly what Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby need to compliment them. Putting Mitch Marner with Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel was a nice addition to a shutdown line, while Travis Konecny with Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett also boosted the club&#8217;s energy when they were on the ice.
&#8211; We all knew Mikael Granlund was good, but he was far and away Team Finland&#8217;s best player throughout the tournament. He showed up in clutch moments, picking up an assist on the first goal of the USA/Finland game, the overtime-winning goal against Sweden to keep their finals hopes alive, and two goals late to nearly complete the comeback against Canada today.
What was your instant reaction to today&#8217;s game? Let us know in the comment section below!
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Welcome to Instant Reaction — 4 Nations Face-Off edition! Typically, we give our Instant Reaction to <a class="text-accent" href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vancouver Canucks</a> games, but since those aren’t happening right now, we thought we’d do the same for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
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Early on in this game, it seemed to go exactly how the Finns wanted the game to go. Fairly low-event, with not a ton of scoring chances, keeping everything to the outside and lots of board battles.

That was, of course, until Connor McDavid had something to say about it.

https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891555406738047401

McDavid picks off the Finns at the blue line and blazes through the slot, turning back when he loses his angle. Turning back, he waits until three bodies are in front of Kevin Lankinen and fires a quick wrist shot that Lankinen can't track to open the scoring.

1-0 Canada.

And you just knew after a slow game against <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/statsies-4-nations-face-off-roundup-canadas-finishing-woes-nordic-rivals-inseparable-usas-defensive-clinic">Team USA</a> that Nathan MacKinnon was going to respond early.

https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891556102749266147

MacKinnon wins the puck battle in the neutral zone and fires it off the boards for Sam Reinhart. Knowing MacKinnon's speed is unmatched, Reinhart sends the puck ahead for MacKinnon to skate onto. He does just that and is in all alone. Unfortunately for Lankinen, MacKinnon fires the puck behind him before he could even react to it.

Just 46 seconds after McDavid gave <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/instant-reaction-canadian-offence-stumped-connor-hellebuyck-american-defence-3-1-loss">Team Canada</a> the lead, MacKinnon adds to it.

2-0 Canada.

Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper tinkered with all four of his lines. Most notably, putting Brayden Point and Mark Stone on McDavid's wings. And that paid off early.

https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891560239918366784

The speed of Connor McDavid is just strictly unmatched, especially for a weaker Finnish defence corps. He takes it from Canada's zone, through the neutral zone and into Finland's end of the ice. Once he passes the blueline, McDavid fires a cross-ice pass to Travis Sanheim, who fires it off Lankinen's pad. It was a nice save on Lankinen's behalf. However, Point has the inside track to grab that rebound and do a quick deke to his backhand to get it past Lankinen.

These line changes are starting to pay off in a big way.

Team Canada ran away with a dominant first period, outshooting the Finns 11-5 and taking a 3-0 to the locker room for the first intermission.

The second period started fairly similarly to the start of the first period: a slower start and a Nathan MacKinnon goal within the first five minutes.

https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891569841372279000

Crosby and Sam Reinhart's forechecking is too much for the Finnish defence to handle. The puck finds the stick of Crosby, who quickly finds MacKinnon in a crowd full of Finns and beats Lankinen for his second of the game.

4-0 Canada.

After this goal, Team Finland's head coach Antti Pennanen made the goaltending change, pulling Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen for the Nashville Predators netminder, who started the tournament, Juuse Saros.

Despite outshooting Canada 12-8 in the middle frame, there really wasn't a significant threatening push by the Finns to claw their way back into this game.

That was until four minutes remaining in the second period when Devon Toews took a slashing penalty on Joel Armia. There were some scrambles in front, but Binnington stopped both shots he faced. He just loves big games in TD Garden; hey Bruins fans?

This is where <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/rick-tocchet-message-elias-pettersson-4-nations-fun">Rick Tocchet</a> hockey shines, baby. Big lead in the third period, let's play some low-event hockey, protect the guts of the ice and walk away with the win. In a win and you're in type game like this, that's all you have to do. However, it's not an exciting brand of hockey to watch.

Canadian defenders didn't pinch up for offence. Canadian forwards were content to dump the puck in and go for the quick change to keep legs fresh. But there really wasn't much else exciting going on. That was until Esa Lindell gave Team Finland a glimmer of hope.

https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891586732841168954

After a strong forecheck from the Finns, the puck leaks down the right side boards. Lindell sends a quick backhand pass to the faceoff dot, but the Finn forward can't corral it but is able to tip it back to Lindell. The defenceman steps up, takes the ice that he's given and fires a shot that just beats Binnington above the pad and below the blocker to ruin his shutout.

4-1 Canada.

Binnington has been good up until this point, but you've got to imagine this is one that he wants to have back. Ruining your shutout with a shot that just goes through you is disappointing.

Finland pulled their goalie early, with over four minutes remaining. MacKinnon was out there to try and get his hat trick. However, Aleksander Barkov blocked the centre-ice attempt. The play stayed in the Canadian zone, and then the chaos ensured.

https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891589538067206455

After some chaos in front of the net, the puck found its way to Patrik Laine along the half-wall. He sends a quick pass to Mikael Granlund, who sends it through Binnington's five-hole.

4-2 Canada.

But the Finns weren't done there.

https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891589957749182846

From a very similar spot, Mikael Granlund receives the Aleksander Barkov pass and makes no mistake but this time buries it past Binnington and into the top corner.

4-3 Canada.

But right when you need him, Captain Canada always has your back.

https://twitter.com/DailyFaceoff/status/1891590396813230481

What a play from Sidney Crosby. With all the momentum on Team Finland's side, Crosby steps up and makes a big open-ice hit on the hottest player on the ice and his former teammate to knock the puck loose. He then gets the pass and quickly goes from in his hand to off his stick and into the open net to kill any hope from Team Finland.

5-3 Canada.
<h2>CAs Player of the game</h2>
Team Canada - Nathan MacKinnon

This was hard not to give to Crosby after the amazing play on the empty net goal. However, Nathan MacKinnon's two goals, one being the eventual game-winner, stand as the player of the game in our eyes.

Team Finland - Mikael Granlund

Granlund single-handedly resurrected the lives of Team Finland in this game. He scored two goals late in the game, but it was just too little, too late for the Finns.

Not to take a victory lap, but these were two of the guys we mentioned as <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/4-nations-preview-vancouver-canucks-lankinen-gets-start-finlands-pivotal-match-against-canada">players to watch for this game.</a>
<h2>Takeaways</h2>
- This was a much better game for Team Canada. They looked like a completely different team. Canada played with a defensive structure that really limited what the Finns offensively. They gave the Finns clear shooting lanes from distance on Binnington and trusted him to make the plays.

- It's hard to go away from Binnington after the win. But at the end of the game, there was definitely something to be worried about. I thought today was a perfect opportunity to go to Adin Hill, see what you have in him and decide from there. Just give him a very short leash, and don't be afraid to put Binnington in if you don't like what you're seeing. I guess we won't get to see that, but Team Canada's chances to win start and end with Binnington in the finals.

- Hats off to Jon Cooper for his line changes. He switched all four of his lines, and they all looked better. Brayden Point and Mark Stone looked like they better complimented Connor McDavid — Point's high-end skill around the front of the net with the puck and Stone's hockey IQ. Sam Reinhart added three assists despite being an off-the-puck player in the offensive zone. But that's exactly what Nathan MacKinnon and Sidney Crosby need to compliment them. Putting Mitch Marner with Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel was a nice addition to a shutdown line, while Travis Konecny with Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett also boosted the club's energy when they were on the ice.

- We all knew Mikael Granlund was good, but he was far and away Team Finland's best player throughout the tournament. He showed up in clutch moments, picking up an assist on the first goal of the USA/Finland game, the overtime-winning goal against Sweden to keep their finals hopes alive, and two goals late to nearly complete the comeback against Canada today.

What was your instant reaction to today's game? Let us know in the comment section below!

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