It is the most highly anticipated hockey game in years. The United States and Canada will face off in the 4 Nations Final Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston, MA.
At first glance the final is a battle pitting the grit and goaltending of the United States against the scary, high-end talent of Canada’s forwards.
Team USA bested Team Canada in the round robin portion of the tournament winning 3-1 Saturday night. There were three fights in the first nine seconds of the game as that American grit looked to send a message to both benches. Once things settled down, speed and discipline dominated the majority of the game. Dylan Larkin’s game winner was sandwiched around a couple of Jake Guentzel goals and Connor Hellebuyck turned aside 25 of 26 shots in the win. Connor McDavid opened the scoring showcasing Canada’s immense speed and skill along the forward line.
Since that game, Canada has done two things. They have gotten a jolt with Cale Makar’s (illness) return to the lineup and they have split Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. The former move has given Canada a boost at both ends of the ice. The latter has balanced the attack offering tremendous speed and finishers on two lines instead of overloading their top line.
For the United States, health has become a top concern. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy (shoulder) has been declared out of Thursday’s title game. Matthew Tkachuk has not played since early in the third period of the Americans’ 3-1 win Saturday. His brother, Brady, left Monday’s game against Sweden with a lower-body injury. Auston Matthews did not play Monday due to an undisclosed injury.
Before we dive into the numbers and find a few sweats, it is important to recognize the men expected to be in net for each side. Canada is expected to start Jordan Binnington. The goaltender for the St. Louis Blues has started each of Canada’s three games in this tournament. Doubtful anyone would give him a standing ovation to this point in the tournament as he has allowed eight goals and saved just 89.2% of the shots he has faced. The United States will turn again to Connor Hellebuyck. The Winnipeg Jets’ goaltender has been stellar in his two starts in this tournament allowing two goals and saving 95.7% of the shots he has faced.
Lets now dive into the matchup and find a few angles to sweat.
Game Details and How to Watch USA vs. Canada
- Date: Thursday, February 20, 2025
- Time: 8:00PM EST
- Site: TD Garden
- City: Boston, MA
- Network/Streaming: ESPN
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Game Odds for USA vs. Canada
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Odds: Team USA (-112), Team Canada (-108)
- Puck Line: Team USA -1.5 goals (+225)
- Total: 5.5 goals
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Canada vs. USA: Best Bets
Here are three sweats for each side.
Three Bets for Team Canada
Nathan MacKinnon will be arguably the second-best player to take the ice Thursday. The Avalanche forward is never shy to shoot. He is averaging 3.96 shots per game this season in the NHL. John Cooper’s line-juggling seemed to free up MacKinnon Monday against Finland as the sniper scored twice on three shots. If you are willing to break a sweat, you can find Nathan MacKinnon 4+ shots at plus money.
Brayden Point is now skating on Canada’s top line with Connor McDavid and Mark Stone. He scored in his first period playing alongside McDavid. He has scored his share of goals in big games in his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Expecting him to get a few good looks is not a stretch…nor is an expectation of him lighting the lamp once. You can find him in the neighborhood of +350 to score anytime. If you are willing to sweat that he scores first, the odds are set at +1800. The recommendation is for the former and not that he scores first in the contest.
Brandon Hagel has done plenty of talking following Saturday night’s 3-1 loss to the Americans. His breakout season for Tampa, though, lends credence to the notion he can back it up. Hagel’s odds to score at some point Thursday are set at +600…to score first is +2500.
Three Bets for Team USA
Assuming he plays Thursday, you have to believe Matthew Tkachuk will be involved…everywhere. He took three shots Saturday night and that included spending the first five minutes in the penalty box and the last half of the third period on the bench. With Tkachuk and Hagel already exchanging barbs, expect Tkachuk to be a factor. You can find Tkachuk to take at least three shots Thursday night at -105 odds.
Jack Eichel has quietly played well this entire tournament picking up assists in each of Team USA’s three games and four helpers in total. The native of North Chelmsford, MA will be playing in front of the hometown crowd Thursday. No reason to think he won’t be involved in the scoring again. Eichel to tally at least one point is +100.
No question even the most ardent supporters of Team USA believe America will not win without exceptional goaltending tonight from Connor Hellebuyck. The 2-time Vezina winner has been special in his two starts. He will need to be at least that good tonight. Assuming he is, he will be named the 4 Nations Tournament MVP. Yes, he is the favorite (+260) in the market but that does not mean there is no value in that wager.
National pride will be on display with an exclamation point tonight at TD Garden in Boston. The intensity and tension on the ice, in the stands, and in homes across all of North America will be palpable.
We have offered you a handful of wagers no matter if your preference is the Maple Leaf or the Stars and Bars. Regardless, enjoy the game. Soak it in. Once it ends, we have to wait a full year before these players take the ice for their respective countries in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
