USA expects all forwards to be available for 4 Nations final vs. Canada
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After playing shorthanded against Sweden on Monday, Team USA could be back to full strength at forward for Thursday's 4 Nations Face-Off final against Canada.
Auston Matthews (upper-body soreness) and Matthew Tkahcuk (lower-body injury) were back on the ice for practice Wednesday after both did not dress against Sweden, leaving the team to play a forward short. Matthews said Wednesday his issues was something new, but said he has progressed, adding there was "no way" he would miss the championship game.
Brady Tkachuk, who left the 2-1 loss to Sweden in the first period due to injury, did not join the team for practice on Wednesday. Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan initially downplayed the forward's injury, calling his exit Monday 'precautionary' in post-game comments.
Matthew Tkachuk declared himself good to go after Wednesday's skate and said he expects his younger brother Brady to play as well.
"(He's) saving everything he has for tomorrow night and I’m very confident he’ll be at his absolute best,” Matthew said, per The Athletic.
Head coach Mike Sullivan said he also expects Brady Tkachuk to play, stating the Ottawa Senators captain missed practice because he wasn't feeling well.
Winnipeg Jets star Kyle Connor skated on a line with Jack Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk, seemingly taking Brady's spot. Matthews centred a line between Jack Hughes and Jake Guentzel.
In the bottom six, Dylan Larkin skated between J.T. Miller and Matt Boldy, while Chris Kreider skated on a line with New York Rangers teammate Vincent Trocheck and Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders.
Kreider was a healthy scratch for the United States in each of their first two games before drawing in and scoring the team's lone goal against Sweden.
Matthews has one assist in two games at the tournament, Matthew Tkachuk has two goals and an assist in two games and Brady Tkachuk has two goals across the three games he's dressed in.
USA not tipping defence pairs, Quinn Hughes still not en route
Set to draw in for the injured Charlie McAvoy, Jake Sanderson was on the ice, along with the other five USA defencemen.
Team USA put Quinn Hughes on standby Tuesday after ruling out McAvoy, but he is not eligible to play unless there is an additional injury on defence. It remains unclear whether Hughes will travel to Boston ahead of the with the blueliner set to skate with the Vancouver Canucks again on Wednesday.
"I know it's an interesting situation," Quinn's brother Jack Hughes said Wednesday. "We'll see what happens."
"It'd be fun," Jack added. "Obviously he was on the team and a big part of the team, and even if he comes and he can't play, that'll give everyone a big boost that he supports us and he is willing to come all this way to come just sit and be an extra if there's no injury or nothing. So for him to come, that'd mean a lot for our group, and I know guys would be pumped about that."
Sanderson, a late add to the roster to replace Hughes, made his tournament debut in Monday's meaningless 2-1 loss to Sweden, logging 17:08 of ice time. The Ottawa Senators defenceman has five goals and 35 points in 55 games with his club this season, averaging a team-high 24:24 of ice time.
The United States leaned heavily on Jaccob Slavin and Brock Faber in their first game against Canada, with both finishing with over 25 minutes of ice time. Noah Hanifin sat just above McAvoy with 20:13 of ice time, while Zach Werenski and Adam Fox saw just under 14 minutes of ice time each.
The Americans rotated different defence pairings during the skate on Wednesday, leaving the combinations unclear for the championship game.
McAvoy remains in hospital
McAvoy remains in hospital after undergoing "an irrigation and debridement procedure" stemming from an infection in his right shoulder, the Boston Bruins announced Wednesday.
McAvoy was ruled out of the 4 Nations Final for Team USA on Tuesday due to an upper-body injury suffered earlier in the tournament. In a statement, Bruins head team physician Peter Asnis said McAvoy's condition is improving.
"Charlie McAvoy sustained an injury to his right shoulder acromioclavicular joint in Team USA's 4 Nations Face-Off game against Finland on February 13," Asnis said. "He underwent treatment, which was administered by Team USA's medical staff. Upon returning to Boston, he developed increasing pain, for which he was evaluated by the Boston Bruins medical staff. After undergoing x-rays, MRIs, and bloodwork, he was diagnosed as having an infection in his right shoulder, as well as a significant injury to his AC joint.
"He underwent an irrigation and debridement procedure at Massachusetts General Hospital on February 18. He remains in the hospital, where he is being treated with IV antibiotics, and his condition is improving."
The 27-year-old McAvoy went without a point in the 4 Nations Face-Off, but logged 19:45 of ice time in the American's opening win over Finland and 19:27 of ice time in their win over Team Canada.
"It hurts for sure," Hanifin said Tuesday of losing McAvoy. "You just hope that he's healing up, and doing better."
McAvoy has seven goals and 23 points in 50 games with the Bruins this season while averaging a team-high 23:40 of ice time. The star blueliner is signed through the 2029-30 season at a cap hit of $9.5 million.