BOSTON — Matthew Tkachuk did not participate in the third period or the overtime session of the championship match against Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off held on Thursday. His injury status remains uncertain, raising questions about his availability for the Florida Panthers as the NHL season resumes.
Tkachuk sustained his injury during a preliminary round game between the U.S. and Canada last week and missed the subsequent round-robin finale against Sweden on Monday. The U.S. team has refrained from providing detailed updates on his condition, with coach Mike Sullivan only confirming that it pertains to a lower-body injury.
“He pushes through every challenge, but it doesn’t seem promising this time,” remarked Brady Tkachuk, his brother and fellow U.S. player, after their team lost 3-2 to Canada, conceding a goal by Connor McDavid 8 minutes and 18 seconds into overtime. “We’ll just have to wait and see how things unfold. I know he felt quite upset about it.”
The Panthers’ general manager, Bill Zito, was involved in the U.S. management team for this NHL-sanctioned tournament. Zito brought Tkachuk to the Panthers in a significant trade with Calgary during the summer of 2022, and the two celebrated a Stanley Cup victory together last season.
In terms of Canada’s performance, goaltender Jordan Binnington was a crucial factor in securing the win, making 31 saves out of 33 shots faced. He demonstrated stellar skills by stopping 20 consecutive shots after conceding a goal from Jake Sanderson. Remarkably, he performed in the same arena where he helped the St. Louis Blues clinch the Stanley Cup in Game 7 back in 2019, denying the Bruins with a remarkable 32 saves.
“They created numerous scoring opportunities, and our goalie delivered some crucial saves when we needed them,” commented Nathan MacKinnon, who was named the tournament’s MVP.
Binnington secured his position as the starting goaltender throughout the tournament, following concerns regarding Canada’s netminding abilities prior to the event. His strong performances have likely reinforced his chances of being the starting goalie for the upcoming Milan Olympics next year.
As for Charlie McAvoy, who displayed outstanding play in the early rounds of the tournament, he was sidelined due to a shoulder injury that became infected, leading to hospitalization and ultimately ruling him out of the final game. Despite being absent from the ice, McAvoy supported his teammates from the stands, donning a shirt and tie, and received a warm welcome from the Boston crowd when he appeared on the video board in the third period.
In a nod to roster changes, Jake Sanderson, who wasn’t initially selected for the U.S. team, only joined the squad over the weekend as an injury substitute for reigning Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes. After remaining a healthy scratch until McAvoy’s injury opened up a spot, Sanderson seized the opportunity and scored during Thursday’s match.
“Whether I was playing or not, I focused on staying positive, and if called upon, I aimed to keep it simple and utilize my speed,” Sanderson shared during an ESPN intermission interview. “It was a bit of a blur, but it was a great team effort to get the puck to the net, and I was fortunate to find the scoring chance.”
