Last Saturday night, Canada vs. the USA was one of the best hockey games of the past decade. It emphasized the need for best-on-best international hockey, and the television ratings reflected that this tournament was a great idea. The game started with three fights in the first nine seconds, some bone-crunching hits we only see in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and goals from the NHL's best players. It was also a top-notch defensive effort from the USA and goaltending performance from Connor Hellebuyck.
The game ended in a 3-1 win for the United States, and fans are ready for the encore on Thursday. With no disrespect meant for Finland and Sweden, this is the final that everyone wants to see and something that will keep hockey fans content until next year's Olympics. Will Team USA win both games in this tournament against Canada, or will the Canadians prove they are still the superior hockey nation?
How to Watch Canada vs. USA
Date: Thursday, February 20, 2025
Time: 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT
Venue: TD Garden
How to Watch: ESPN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports, FuboTV
Jordan Binnington has been holding down the net for Canada, much to the chagrin of some people in the country. Is he the best option for Canada in this game? After the rest of the tournament, there's no way Jon Cooper could change the goaltenders. Binnington achieved his most tremendous success on this ice in 2019, and even though it was six years ago, there's something to be said about his experience.
The USA has to worry about their injury concerns in this game. They won't have Charlie McAvoy due to his shoulder injury, and Canada will have Cale Makar back after he missed the round-robin game. The addition of Makar and the absence of McAvoy might be the kind of swap that turns the game in Canada's favor.