logo
FlamesNation has no direct affiliation to the Calgary Flames, Calgary Sports and Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
Instant Reaction: Rematch set as Canada holds on to beat Finland
alt
Photo credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Ryan Pike
Feb 17, 2025, 17:02 ESTUpdated: Feb 17, 2025, 22:58 EST
Comments
It may have a bit more dramatic than anyone had intended, but Canada punched their ticket to the 4 Nations Face-Off final – and a rematch with the United States – by way of a Monday matinee victory over Finland at TD Garden in Boston.
Canada got out to a 4-0 lead and then withstood a late Finnish push to win 5-3.

The rundown

Canada put on an offensive clinic early in this hockey game. Connor McDavid opened the scoring just over four minutes in, intercepting a clearing attempt by Finland and walking in and beating Kevin Lankinen with a wrist shot. That made it 1-0 Canada.
46 seconds later, Nathan MacKinnon put a shot past Lankinen to give Canada a 2-0 advantage.
Midway through the first, McDavid led an odd-man rush into Finland’s zone. Travis Sanheim’s shot was stopped but Brayden Point jammed in the rebound to make it 3-0 Canada.
First period shots were 11-5 Canada. Via Natural Stat Trick, five-on-five scoring chances were 10-7 Canada (high-danger chances were 3-1 Canada).
Finland swapped goalies to begin the second, putting Juuse Saros in net.
Five minutes into the second period, MacKinnon scored again to make it 4-0 Canada.
Second period shots were 12-8 Finland. Five-on-five scoring chances were 12-8 Finland (high-danger chances were 9-3 Finland).
Finland found their desperation in the third period, and they pushed back and chipped away at Canada’s lead in last 10 minutes of regulation.
Midway through the period, Esa Lindell spoiled Jordan Binnington’s shutout bid to make it 4-1 Canada with a shot from the bottom of the circles.
A little later, with Saros pulled for the extra attacker, Mikael Granlund scored on Binnington to cut the lead to 4-2.
Even later, with Saros pulled again, Granlund scored again to cut the lead to 4-3 Canada.
But Sidney Crosby put a dagger in the Finnish comeback hopes with an empty-netter to make it a 5-3 Canada win.
Third period shots were 9-9. Five-on-five scoring chances were 4-1 Canada (high-danger chances were 0-0).

This and that

Here’s how Canada skated:
Point – McDavid – Stone
Crosby – MacKinnon – Reinhart
Hagel – Cirelli – Marner
Marchand – Bennett – Konecny
Toews – Makar
Morrissey – Parayko
Sanheim – Doughty
Binnington
(Hill)
Scratches: Montembeault, Harley, Jarvis
Here’s how Finland lined up:
Kakko – Barkov – Rantanen
Hintz – Aho – Granlund
Luostarinen – Lundell – Laine
Lehkonen – Haula – Armia
Mikkola – Lindell
Maatta – Jokiharju
Vaakanainen – Matinpalo
Lankinen
(Saros)
Scratches: Luukkonen, Valimaki, Teravainen

Up next

Finland’s tournament is over.
Canada faces the United States on Thursday in the tournament final.
Sponsored by bet365:

News

Breaking News