BOSTON — Matthew Tkachuk was unable to participate in the third period and overtime for the United States during the championship match against Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off on Thursday. His injury raises concerns about how it may impact his comeback with the Florida Panthers when the NHL season resumes.
Tkachuk sustained an injury in last week’s preliminary game against Canada and missed the round-robin finale against Sweden on Monday. The U.S. team has not provided further details on his condition, apart from Coach Mike Sullivan confirming it as a lower-body injury.
Brady Tkachuk, who is both Tkachuk’s brother and a teammate for the U.S. squad, expressed his concerns after their 3-2 defeat to Canada, which was sealed by a goal from Connor McDavid at 8:18 of overtime. “He usually pushes through any challenges, but I don’t think this is looking very promising,” he remarked, highlighting his brother’s disappointment.
Bill Zito, the general manager for the Panthers, was involved with the U.S. management team for this NHL-run international event. Zito made a significant trade to acquire Tkachuk from Calgary in the summer of 2022, and they celebrated a Stanley Cup victory together last season.
In goal, Canada’s Jordan Binnington delivered an outstanding performance, turning away 31 of 33 shots, including 20 consecutive saves following a goal from Jake Sanderson that put the U.S. ahead. He also made six key saves in the overtime period. This match took place in the same arena where he helped the St. Louis Blues secure the Stanley Cup during a decisive Game 7 against the Bruins in 2019, where he allowed just one goal on 33 shots.
“Our goalie was essential, making some tremendous saves on their great chances,” stated tournament MVP Nathan MacKinnon.
Binnington was selected by Coach Jon Cooper to start in all four tournament games, a choice that was particularly crucial given the concerns surrounding Canada’s goaltending prior to the 4 Nations Face-Off. His consistent performance has positioned him well for a potential spot on the Canadian Olympic team set to compete in Milan next year.
Charlie McAvoy played a pivotal role for Team USA in the earlier stages of the tournament, showcasing his skills with significant hits against stars like McDavid and Sidney Crosby during a previous confrontation with Canada. Unfortunately, he was also dealing with a shoulder injury that developed into an infection, resulting in his hospitalization and exclusion from the final game.
Despite being unable to play, McAvoy supported his team from the stands dressed in a shirt and tie. He received a warm ovation from the home crowd when his image appeared on the arena’s video board in the third period.
Jake Sanderson, who was initially not included in the U.S. roster, was added last weekend as injury cover for Quinn Hughes, the reigning Norris Trophy winner. Sanderson had been a healthy scratch until McAvoy’s injury opened up a spot, and he notably scored during the championship match on Thursday.
“Regardless of my playing status, I aimed to maintain a positive attitude. If I got in, I aimed to keep things straightforward and use my skating,” Sanderson mentioned during a break in the match on ESPN. “At that moment, everything just clicked. We made a great play to get the puck toward the net, and I think I just got lucky.”
