Almost there! Thursday night is officially within shouting distance and the intensity between Team Canada and Team USA is bubbling up. Should we expect three fights in nine seconds to open the game? NO! But we CAN expect plenty of hard checks and a whole lot of emotional intensity.
Both teams skated hard on Wednesday and afterward, each met with the media to answer questions about what is being dubbed “THE RE-MATCH!” It’s also being called the biggest hockey game of this generation. So you can clearly see how much this game means to not just the players, but the entire hockey world.
As we have throughout this tournament, let’s dive into what some of the players and the coaches said as the clock winds toward puck drop.
1) First off, Tuesday’s commotion over Mike Sullivan saying Quinn Hughes was coming as a potential reinforcement created a lot of intrigue and confusion.
We now know though that the Vancouver Canucks have NOT medically cleared Hughes to play in the tournament, per a report from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. So that definitively ends any chance of Hughes joining Team USA for tomorrow’s Final.
2) In regards to Brady Tkachuk missing practice, Sullivan was not too concerned, saying, “I would anticipate Brady is going to play. He wasn’t feeling well today. That’s why he didn’t practice. From an injury standpoint, right now, the only one that’s out is Charlie McAvoy,”
The loss of McAvoy aside, it’s a good sign that Team USA appears to be getting healthier. How effective some of their previously injured players will be is another question. But even at 80%, players like Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and Auston Matthews are still threats on the ice.
3) Many people are comparing this American team to the 1980 Miracle On Ice Team due to what this tournament and this game mean to USA Hockey. Here’s what Sullivan had to say about the comparison.
“I think, without a doubt it does. That event in USA Hockey inspired a generation of players, my generation, so, I guess it just shows our age that the players who we have in our dressing room are watching the movie and that’s their remembrance of it. But that event had a huge impact on my generation for sure. It inspired a generation of players. There were a handful of them who played at BU before me, for example. I think this group that we have in our dressing room has an opportunity to do that and inspire the next generation of players. And I think they recognize that. So, it’s a little bit of a trickle-down effect, but, without a doubt, that 1980 team still to this day has had such an influence on American hockey.”
While some may feel it’s a stretch to compare The Miracle On Ice Team and this Team USA, it’s actually a pretty strong connection. And while this Team USA isn’t the massive underdog the 1980 team was, the seismic shift a win against Canada would create is definitely in the same realm as the one that took place 45 years ago.
4) Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel were right in the middle of the chaos that ensued early in the game Saturday night between Team Canada and Team USA. Now, each is swapping remarks in the media to add to their previous fisticuffs. On Tuesday, Hagel said, “I think we’re out there playing for the flag, not the cameras. That’s a part of Canada that we have in there. We don’t need to initiate anything. We don’t have any group chats going on. We’re going out there playing our game and then giving it everything and doing it for our country. We don’t need to initiate everything. We’re just going to play as hard as we can and do it for the flag on the chest.”
Today, Tkachuk responded to Hagel’s comment by saying, “Well, I mean maybe their team doesn’t like each other if they don’t have group chats. I think that’s just a player enjoying his opportunity. I think that our team does not care about anything that they say and there’s been a lot of chatter and talk from individuals. We care about one thing in this room and we have millions of people who are watching us and supporting us around this country and we’re very prideful in playing for them and the guys in the room. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for us.”
You can just feel the intensity between the two and don’t be surprised if they come to blows on the ice again Thursday night.
5) Mark Messier was one of the faces of Canadian Hockey during his playing days and now he’s still involved with the game as a broadcaster for ESPN. The current faces of Team Canada are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. So, we asked “The Captain” how he feels Crosby and McDavid are doing as the current faces of Canadian Hockey. “My take is that they’re doing a great job.”
Short and sweet from the man who let his actions speak for him as a player and similar to how Crosby and McDavid handle themselves as well.
6) With all the intensity surrounding this matchup, Team USA’s J.T. Miller shared how Mike Sullivan and his coaching staff are keeping the players focused on the task of winning a championship.
“We’ve done a good job of keeping it day-to-day and worrying about our daily task,” Miller explained. “We have one game to win and that’s why we came here; to win. We’re playing against a rival and we wouldn’t want it any other way.”
7) Not a man of many words, Jack Hughes shared how he’s feeling ahead of Thursday’s Final. “I’m excited. It should be a lot of fun. Looking forward to tomorrow.”
While some of his teammates have used more words to express themselves, Hughes’ sentiment is one that is shared throughout Team USA, who is taking their responsibility wearing The USA jersey as seriously as any team ever has.
8) A lot of people have been wondering how The NHL could ever go back to hosting an All-Star Game after how terrific the Four Nations Face-off Tournament has been. Adam Fox has now weighed in on that topic.
“This stuff is great for us and we love any chance to represent The US,” Fox said. “I think, obviously, All-Star Games are for the fans. It’s nice and a bit interactive; a little more of a looser environment. This is real intense in the middle of a season. But I think, anytime, we can throw on that USA sweater and represent our country in best-on-best, we’re gonna be doing that as much as we can.”
Fox was later asked about the intensity level of the tournament’s games and whether it surprised Team USA or not. “Not this group. We came in, even from the summer, talking about how we’re gonna bring it and bring our best; kind of show what USA Hockey is about. So, the intensity doesn’t surprise me or anyone in here, but obviously, you could see from the outside perspective where, maybe, they thought guys might take it easy because it’s in-season and everyone else is on a break.”
9) Earlier this week, Mike Sullivan spoke about how Sidney Crosby is the ultimate competitor and how he’s going to do everything he can to win the game. Sullivan also said he would do the same on his end as a coach. On Wednesday, Crosby was asked about Sullivan’s praiseful comments.
“Yeah, I believe him,” Crosby said. “He’s obviously a really committed coach. He cares a lot about his group. So, from being around him for a long time and getting to know him, I think that’s something that, yeah, I believe that he’ll do everything that he can. And like he said, I’m gonna do the same.”
10) Lastly, Team Canada’s Head Coach Jon Cooper has been awaiting this moment for a long time. He’s won two Stanley Cups, but winning a championship for his country is something he’s wanted forever. As such, he’s been planning his message for his players for quite a while.
“Well, I’ve been cooking up this message for months, (now I) finally get to deliver (it). But some of it comes from what’s happened. You’re thinking a year ago to six months ago, to a month ago to right now, it’s completely changed, especially after what’s gone on in this tournament.
“Everybody in this room basically follows the sport for a living and it’s been really cool for four days, three days to see the whole world following the sport. And I think everybody should be proud, the US team included, in how their passion and want and will to win and compete on such an organic level has galvanized not only the political world and the sports world, but everybody. So, I’m really proud to be a part of that and especially with our group and what they’ve done. We’ve built for this moment. We wanted to be in this moment. Now we’re here and they know what they have to do to finish it off.”
