Canada, USA trade goals again, tied 2-2 after two in 4 Nations Face-Off final
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Jake Sanderson fired Team USA into the lead in the second period, but Sam Bennett responded for Canada as the teams are tied 2-2 after two frames of the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game from TD Garden in Boston.
Sanderson jumped on a rebound in the slot and fired the puck past Canadian goaltender Jordan Binnington at the 7:32 mark of the second period.
Auston Matthews collected his second assist of the game on the Sanderson marker, Zach Werenski also picked up a helper.
USA forward Vincent Trocheck took the first penalty of the game when he was assessed a tripping penalty for taking down Bennett at the 8:57 mark.
Despite a couple Canadian chances, the Americans were able to kill the penalty.
Jaccob Slavin made a strong defensive play for the USA late in the period when he beat Sidney Crosby to a puck with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck out of position.
Bennett then pulled Canada even at 14:00 when he collected a Mitch Marner drop pass and fired it over Hellebuyck’s shoulder.
Binnington has made 18 saves for Canada through two periods.
Hellebuyck has also turned away 18 shots for USA through the opening two frames.
The teams traded goals in the opening frame, with Nathan MacKinnon giving Canada the lead and Brady Tkachuk replying to send the game into the first intermission tied.
MacKinnon fired the puck through a maze of bodies, beating a partially screened Hellebuyck in the USA net at the 4:48 mark of the opening frame to put Canada ahead.
Tkachuk knotted the score at 1-1 at 16:52 of the first period as he drove to the net and converted a pass from behind the net by USA captain Matthews.
Both teams announced roster changes just prior to puck drop as Team Canada defenceman Josh Morrissey was replaced by Harley due to illness and Team USA forward Kyle Connor was scratched in favour of Chris Kreider.
Earlier on Thursday, Canada announced that they would replace Travis Konecny with Seth Jarvis for the final.
The USA defeated Canada 3-1 in their round robin matchup.