With the USA having already punched their ticket to the finals, the three remaining teams all still have a chance to meet them. And it all starts with this game.
Here are the scenarios:
Team Canada can clinch with a regulation win or a win in overtime/shootout over Team Finland and any other outcome than a Sweden regulation win.
Team Finland can clinch with a regulation win or a win in overtime/shootout over Team Canada and any other outcome than a Sweden regulation win.
Team Sweden can clinch with a regulation win and either Team Canada or Team Finland win in overtime/shootout.
There’s a lot at stake for the day’s opening game. Let’s preview today’s game.
Start time and info
Coverage for Team Canada vs. Team Finland kicks off at 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST from TD Garden in Boston.
This game can be streamed on Sportsnet.ca in Canada (subscription required) and TVA Sports (subscription required). Other streaming platforms to watch the game (outside of Canada): TNT, truTV and Max.
Projected lines
Here are the projected lines for today, provided by Daily Faceoff.
Team Canada lines updated.
Team Finland’s lines updated.
Starting goalies
As of this writing, Team Canada’s head coach, Jon Cooper, has not yet confirmed a starting goalie for this match. Jordan Binnington got the nod for the first two games but allowed some weaker goals against the USA. We’ll see if the coaching staff will switch goaltenders for such a pivotal game.
Kevin Lankinen will get his second consecutive start for Team Finland, with Juuse Saros serving as the backup.
Players to watch
After a relatively quiet opening game, Connor McDavid had a mad dash early to open the scoring. He finished the game tied with Mark Stone and Sam Bennett for the team lead in shots with three. But outside of that, the Canadians were fairly limited. The Americans did a great job of keeping Canada to the outside, really limiting their high-danger scoring threats. That should be a big focus on what Canada is going to want to do in this matchup.
Look at the goals the Finns allowed in their last game. The first goal was a slot shot from Mika Zibanejad. The second was in the crease from Rasmus Dahlin. And the third goal was off the rush from Erik Karlsson.
And who better to use their speed on the rush to get into those high-danger areas than Nathan MacKinnon? After a whopping six-shot game against the Swedes, MacKinnon was limited to just one shot against the Americans. Watch for MacKinnon to put his stamp on this game.
Mikael Granlund has been one of the better players for Team Finland in this tournament. He assisted on the Finns’ lone goal against the Americans and grabbed the overtime winner against the Swedes to keep their tournament dreams alive. He was promoted to the second line with Sebastian Aho and new teammate Roope Hintz. He’ll be one to watch.
But all eyes will be on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Kevin Lankinen. He got the start against the Swedes and made two saves in overtime to secure their first win of the tournament. The Finns success will really depend on how he plays today and if he can stop the high-flying team Canada offence.
Daily Faceoff Live is on the road! From February 10th to 20th, we’re bringing you live shows every weekday straight from Four Nations, delivering exclusive coverage, insider analysis, and all the tournament action as it unfolds. Don’t miss a beat—subscribe to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow us on social for the latest updates. It’s international hockey, so expect intensity, excitement, and maybe even a little chaos. Stay locked in and catch us live from Four Nations!