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Team Canada is making its final preparations for the 4 Nations Face-Off game against Team USA. On Saturday, they lost to the Americans on home ice 3-1 in the round-robin. It was the first time the US had beaten Canada in a best-on-best tournament since 2010 in the Olympics preliminary round. Ahead of the 4 Nations final, Jon Cooper is taking Travis Konecny out while putting Seth Jarvis in.
“Seth Jarvis replaces Travis Konecny for Team Canada tonight, per Jon Cooper,” TSN's Chris Johnston reported.
Sportsnet's Luke Fox spoke to Jarvis about drawing into Team Canada's lineup. “Seth Jarvis’s childhood hockey buddies packed into an SUV and drove 30 hours from Winnipeg to attend this game. ‘Shows how crazy Canadians are,' Jarvis says.”
Canada lost to the Americans on Saturday because of Team USA's phenomenal defense and excellent goaltending. They hardly let anyone near Connor Hellebuyck and when they did, the defending Vezina Trophy winner stopped all but one. Jarvis provides a little more offense to their bottom six which could be the difference in the 4 Nations championship.
The Americans will have everyone available besides Charlie McAvoy after a slew of injuries against Sweden on Monday. Whether Chris Kreider will remain in the lineup is the only question.
The 4 Nations Face-Off has everything a sports fan could dream of
Team USA and Team Canada played an iconic hockey game on Saturday night. The Americans started three fights in the first nine seconds of the game and Jake Guentzel responded to Connor McDavid's early goal. Dylan Larkin's second-period tally stood up as the winner and Team USA won the game.
Hanging over the entire game was political unrest not too different from the one that made the Miracle on Ice so iconic. President Donald Trump will not be in attendance in Boston but the booing of the US National Anthem in Canada will still be a storyline. After the Star-Spangled Banner was booed, the fights began on Saturday. The National Anthems will provide great theater in the 4 Nations final on Thursday.
The rivalry is established and the political unrest is the cherry on top of what should be a phenomenal hockey game Thursday. These are two of the best hockey teams ever assembled and while this is the first ever 4 Nations Face-Off, they are still playing for national pride. Team USA and Team Canada play at 8 p.m. Thursday in Boston on ESPN in the US and Sportsnet in Canada.
