Morning Coffee: Stage is set for Canada, USA in 4 Nations face-off

The Tkachuk brothers dedicated their lives to preparing for the opportunity to shine in big-time moments.

Every late-night skate, every workout, every sacrifice.

Matthew and Brady Tkachuk have trained relentlessly to ensure that when the spotlight eventually found them, they were prepared to own the moment.

If last night’s performance was a surprise to you, then you haven’t been paying close enough attention.

Keith Tkachuk’s boys were raised in a hockey household.

While they were only children at the time, there’s no doubt that Matthew and Brady grew up hearing stories and watching videos of their father Keith leading Team USA Hockey to gold at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

Nearly 30 years later, Matthew and Brady got the chance to suit up for Team USA in a 4 Nations Face-Off game versus Finland with their father watching in the stands at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

The Tkachuk brothers had waited their whole lives for that moment.

When it arrived, they did what they always meant to do.

In many ways, last night’s performance felt inevitable.
 
This is the Morning Coffee for Friday February 14th, 2025.

Stage Is Set For Canada, USA In 4 Nations Face-Off

It’s the big-time moments that reveal the true superstars.

They separate the ones who are built for it from the ones that are not.

With a Game 7 type atmosphere for each of the first two games of the 4 Nations Face-Off, hockey’s biggest stars have seized the moments with some epic performances.

One night after Sidney Crosby led Canada with three assists in a 4-3 win over Sweden in overtime, the Tkachuk brothers completely took over in a 6-1 win over Finland.

After falling behind 1-0 early, Brady answered for Team USA with his first of two goals in the victory.

Leading by one entering the third period, Matthew extended Team USA’s lead to 3-1 with the first of three goals in the first three minutes of the final frame.

The three goals in the opening three minutes of the third period are the fastest three goals by any one team from the start of a period in the history of NHL International tournament games.

Matthew and Brady each added another goal in the third period to become the first set of brothers with multiple goals and multiple points in the same game.

The Tkachuk brothers are the only multi-goal scorers through the first two games of the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Matthew is tied with Crosby for the tournament lead with three points each.

Canada and Team USA entered the 4 Nations Face-Off as the obvious top two choices to win the tournament.

48 hours later, the stage is set for a potentially epic showdown between those teams on Saturday night.

Canada and Team USA have met in the championship series of two NHL International tournaments.

Most recently, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, when Keith Tkachuk and the Americans rallied from down 2-1 in the third period to beat Canada 5-2 and win gold.

29 years later, Matthew and Brady Tkachuk will demand the spotlight for Team USA opposite Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon for Canada.

We’ll also get the rare opportunity to see several NHL teammates face each other.

It will be Matthew Tkachuk versus Sam Reinhart and potentially Sam Bennett.

Auston Matthews versus Mitch Marner.

Jake Guentzel versus Brayden Point, Anthony Cirelli, and Brandon Hagel.

Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin versus Mark Stone, and potentially Adin Hill.

Connor Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor versus Josh Morrissey.

Jaccob Slavin versus Seth Jarvis.

Charlie McAvoy versus Brad Marchand.

Canada has won 13 straight NHL International Tournament games – the longest streak all-time.

The team’s last loss came in that decisive Game 3 of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey versus Keith Tkachuk and Team USA.

Now all these years later, Matthew and Brady will try to end Canada’s remarkable run.

As if the superstar talent and the high stakes weren’t enough, the fact that this match-up is considered so even on paper adds to the anticipation for Saturday’s game.

FanDuel has Canada versus Team USA as a pick’em.

Canada to win the game outright is -110.

Team USA to win the game outright is -110.

Meanwhile, the total is slightly shaded to the under 6.5 goals at -130.

After an epic start to the tournament that included cashing anytime goal scorer bets in back-to-back games and a total net profit of 10.3 units, it will be difficult to maintain an unbiased approach to Saturday’s showdown.

With the entire country rallying behind Canada, it feels a little awkward to highlight that FanDuel has both Tkachuk brothers at longer than +300 odds to score a goal.

Instead, I’ll leave you with this, for now.

The world’s biggest NHL superstars are set to represent the best teams in the world on the international stage in a potentially epic clash on Saturday night in Montreal.

From the time that they were old enough to hold a stick, the players that will dress for Canada and Team USA have been preparing for a moment like this.

On Saturday night, we’ll all get the opportunity to watch and cheer them on as every single one of those players gets a chance to be the hero for their nation.

This is why we love sports.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

Enjoy the game, everyone!