Keith Tkachuk helped Team USA win the World Cup of Hockey in 1996. Now, his sons are doing their part for their country’s national team.
Brady Tkachuk and brother Matthew each scored twice Thursday as the Americans broke open a tight game to rout Finland 6-1 in their opener at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The win gives the USA three points for the lead in the tournament standings. The Americans play Canada (two points) on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ABC) in Montreal.
The brothers started the game on separate lines and Brady tied the game in the first period after Finland had gone ahead on a Henri Jokiharju goal.
But coach Mike Sullivan put them together with Jack Eichel in the second period and they led a third-period surge. Matthew scored 15 seconds into the period on a long shot to make it 3-1. After a Jake Guentzel goal, Brady scored again at 3:00 of the third, set up by Matthew. Then it was Matthew’s turn on the power play at 11:13.
The final tally: two goals and an assist for Matthew, two goals for Brady, a combined 13 shots, eight hits by Brady and three for Matthew.
Finland will try to rebound against Sweden (one point) in the early game on Saturday (1 p.m. ET).
Brady Tkachuk on playing on a line with brother Matthew
Brady Tkachuk told ESPN it was a ‘dream come true’ to play on a line with brother Matthew.
‘My first thought was my parents, my sister and all of our family, how happy they must be, how excited they must be, but I thought if we’re getting together, we ought to play good and stick together,’ Tkachuk said.
They did and the Tkachuk-Tkachuk-Jack Eichel line could be a good counter on Saturday against Canada’s high-powered top lines.
USA vs. Finland highlights
Final score: USA 6, Finland 1
Finland kept it as tight as it could, considering it was far down on the list on its defense because of pre-tournament injuries. The USA pounced on mistakes on its first two goals, then got a lucky bounce and its superior firepower won out.
The USA will face a deeper opponent in Canada and Finland will need to address its penalty kill. Does Juuse Saros get the net again when Finland plays Sweden on Saturday?
USA-Finland score: It’s Matthew Tkachuk’s turn
Matthew Tkachuk scores again on the power play, popping in a rebound. Zach Werenski gets an assist for his third point of the game. USA 6, Finland 1.
USA-Finland score: Brady Tkachuk scores
Brady Tkachuk gets his second goal of the game, finishing off a play down low after Jack Eichel threads him a pass at 3:00. Brother Matthew gets the secondary assist. USA 5, Finland 1
USA-Finland score: Jake Guentzel scores
Two goals in 11 seconds. Jake Guentzel has a goal and an assist in the first 26 seconds of this period. Juuse Saros probably wants that back. USA 4, Finland 1
USA-Finland score: Matthew Tkachuk scores
Matthew Tkachuk joins his brother Brady on the scoresheet. His long shot deflects off a Finland player past Juuse Saros. USA 3, Finland 1
Third period underway
USA on a power play.
End of second period: USA 2, Finland 1
For a while, it looked like this second period would be like the second period of Canada-Sweden. Like Sweden, Finland controlled play early after being outplayed in the first period, but the USA broke through on a Matt Boldy goal for the lead. Brady Tkachuk has been the USA’s best player through two periods with a goal, three shots and seven hits.
USA goes on power play
Olli Maatta hauls down Auston Matthews with 2.2 seconds left in the second. It will carry over into the third period.
USA-Finland score: Matt Boldy scores
It’s a Minnesota Wild connection. Defenseman Brock Faber’s long wrist shot from the point is deflected in by Matt Boldy at 17:04. USA 2, Finland 1
Tkachuk brothers play together
USA coach Mike Sullivan puts Brady and Matthew Tkachuk on a line with Jack Eichel. Eichel has to go to the bench because of a cut on his nose.
USA goes on power play
Finland’s Nikolas Matinpalo is called for boarding Jake Guentzel at 7:19. The USA has no shots so far this period. They had no shots on the power play in the first period. They finally get a shot but Juuse Saros stops Guentzel as Finland kills the penalty.
Second period underway
Scored tied 1-1.
End of first period: USA 1, Finland 1
Finland might be the least-heralded team in the tournament, but it holds its own and emerges with a tie after one period. Defenseman Henri Jokiharju (who had one goal this season) gives Finland the lead but Brady Tkachuk responds quickly. The USA outshoots Finland 13-7 and outhits them 13-6. Finland blocks four shots and the USA hits iron twice.
Finland goes on power play
Noah Hanifin is called for tripping. Finland goes with five forwards and gets some chances but it’s killed off. Hanifin gets a chance coming out of the penalty box.
USA-Finland score: Brady Tkachuk ties it up
Finland can’t clear and the puck eventually gets to Brady Tkachuk. On a second effort, he banks it in off Juuse Saros at 10:21 to tie the game. Matt Boldy and Zach Werenski get the assists. USA 1, Finland 1.
USA-Finland score: Finland gets first goal
Defenseman Henri Jokiharju joins the rush and his shot from the right faceoff circle goes off a U.S. stick and past Connor Hellebuyck at 7:31. Jokiharju wasn’t originally named to the team but joined as an injury replacement. Finland 1, USA 0
Brock Nelson hits the crossbar
Game still scoreless.
USA on power play
Finland’s Joel Armia is called for cross-checking. Finland kills it off. No shots on goal for the USA.
Game underway
It will be interesting to see how the undermanned Finnish defense handles the U.S. attack.
Player introductions
Montreal fans boo U.S. players with division rivals Auston Matthews and Charlie McAvoy hearing it more. Finland players are cheered. Ex-Canadien Artturi Lehkonen gets the loudest one. Goalie Juuse Saros is mistakenly introduced as forward Teuvo Teravainen.
For the second night in a row, fans are asked to respect the singing of the national anthems.
USA-Finland starters
USA: Fs Auston Matthews, Jake Guentzel, Jack Hughes; Ds Zach Werenski, Charlie McAvoy; G Connor Hellebuyck
Finland: Fs Aleksander Barkov, Mikko Rantanen, Artturi Lehkonen; Ds Esa Lindell, Niko Mikkola; G Juuse Saros
When is 4 Nations Face-Off USA vs. Finland?
The United States and Finland will play at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday at Montreal’s Bell Centre.
How to watch 4 Nations Face-Off USA vs. Finland
The USA-Finland game will be broadcast on ESPN.
How to stream 4 Nations Face-Off USA vs. Finland
Sling, Fubo and ESPN+ carry ESPN and ABC games.
USA vs. Finland goaltending matchup
The USA will go with two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck in net while Finland will use Juuse Saros.
Team Finland lines
Expected scratches are forward Kaapo Kakko, defenseman Juuso Valimaki and goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.
Team USA lineup
USA Hockey announced the lines for Thursday’s game. This means forward Chris Kreider, defenseman Jake Sanderson and goalie Jeremy Swayman are the scratches.
Connor Hellebuyck playoff performance
Though he’s a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, Connor Hellebuyck struggled in the playoffs the past two seasons. He had a 3.44 goals-against average and .886 save percentage in 2023. He was 5.23 and .864 last season.
ESPN’s 4 Nations Face-Off intro narrated by Mike Eruzione
4 Nations Face-Off opening night ratings
TNT announced that the Canada-Sweden opener averaged 1 million viewers Wednesday night on its platforms. The network said the game was the most-watched TNT hockey telecast this season and the most-watched non-playoff hockey game of all time on its MAX streaming service. The NHL said that including Canadian viewership, the North American average was 4.1 million.
TNT’s next broadcasts are Monday, with Canada facing Finland at 1 p.m. ET and the USA playing Sweden at 8 in the final round-robin games.
4 Nations Face-Off standings points
Under the 4 Nations Face-Off format, teams will get three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime/shootout win, one point for an overtime/shootout loss and zero points for a loss in regulation. So if the USA or Finland wins in regulation Thursday, it would move ahead of Canada (two points) and Sweden (one point) in the standings.
USA vs. Finland previous results
Finland and the United States have met in the last four Olympics that involved NHL players. The USA routed Finland 6-0 in the round robin in 2002 on the way to a silver medal. Finland beat the USA 4-3 in the quarterfinals in 2006 on the way to silver. The USA downed Finland 6-1 in the 2010 semifinals on the way to a silver medal. In the 2014 Olympics, Finland beat the USA 5-0 in the bronze medal game. Finland also beat the USA 2-1 in the semifinals of the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
Shea Theodore injury update
The Vegas Golden Knights announced that defenseman Sean Theodore is week-to-week with the injury he suffered during Canada’s win against Sweden. Theodore was hurt when he was checked into the boards by Sweden’s Adrian Kempe. He has been ruled out of the tournament and Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim will take his place.
World Cup of Hockey returning in 2028
The World Cup of Hockey will return in February 2028, and the NHL and players association envision a continuing cycle of alternating Olympics and World Cups every two years.
Details are still to be worked out, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday it would involve ‘at least’ eight countries. Cities, including those in Europe, can start bidding in the coming months. Bettman said he didn’t foresee any melded teams, as happened in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey with smaller European countries forming one team and the North American under-23 ‘Young Guns’ forming another.
It’s up in the air whether Russian players can take part because of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The International Ice Hockey Federation recently voted to ban Russian players from its championships for another year, through the 2025-26 season.
4 Nations Face-Off schedule, TV
(Times p.m. ET)
Wednesday, Feb. 12: Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Thursday, Feb. 13: USA 6, Finland 1
Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland vs. Sweden at Montreal, 1, ABC
Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada at Montreal, 8, ABC
Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland at Boston, 1, TNT
Monday, Feb. 17: Sweden vs. USA at Boston, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 8, ESPN
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