Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk lead Team USA to 6-1 win over Team Finland at 4 Nations Face-Off

Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk both recorded two goals, as Team USA ran away with a 6-1 victory over Team Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Matt Boldy and Jake Guentzel also scored for Team USA in the winning effort. It was a pretty competitive game through 40 minutes, but Matthew Tkachuk scored 15 seconds into the third period, Guentzel followed up 11 seconds later and the game was effectively over.

Team Finland’s Henri Jokiharju opened the scoring in the first period, beating Connor Hellebuyck with a knuckleball, but that was all the meaningful offence it could muster throughout the night. Brady Tkachuk quickly tied the game and Team USA’s superiority throughout all facets shone through at the Bell Centre.

Auston Matthews recorded an assist and two shots in the winning effort. Matthews was booed throughout the game, after receiving jeers from the Bell Centre crowd during the tournament opener between Team Canada and Team Sweden on Wednesday. Matthews was placed on a line with Guentzel and Jack Hughes, and they used their speed and offensive inventiveness to great effect throughout the game, putting an undermanned Team Finland defence on its heels. Matthews, who captains Team USA, lead all forwards with 19:52 in ice time.

“You can tell the familiarity he has with the guys here and just someone who’s so respected,” Team USA defenceman Adam Fox said via Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis prior to Thursday’s game. “I think he’s never going to really seem like the rah-rah yell at you, at least early in the practice here. But the way he is on the ice, the way he is in the locker room, the way around the hotel and everything, he just commands that respect. I think everyone has it for him and the way he plays and the way he handles himself.”

Team USA now leads the tournament with three points, Team Canada sits in second with two points, Team Sweden is in third with one point, while Team Finland sits in last place with zero points. This sets up a marquee game Saturday between Team USA and Team Canada, with a potential berth to the final on the line.