The Four Nations Faceoff is underway, with Canada and Sweden taking to the ice on Wednesday night time. Canada defeated Sweden by a rating of 4-3 in additional time. Earlier than that sport obtained underway, NHLRumors.com gave you gamers from Canada and Sweden going through stress to both step up or use this match as a catalyst to propel them ahead in the remainder of the NHL season.
Four Nations Faceoff: Players From Canada and Sweden Face Pressure to Perform
As we noticed, the depth was excessive between Sweden and Canada. It must be no totally different for Finland and Workforce USA on Thursday night time contained in the Bell Centre.
Partially two of our sequence, we take a look at the gamers from the USA and Finland who might be feeling essentially the most stress to carry out. As well as, we gives you a few gamers who can use the match to assist them when the NHL returns to gameplay.
So, who will rise to the event for his or her respective golf equipment as soon as the puck drops in these high-intensity video games? Let’s Dive in taking a look at two gamers from every membership forward of tonight’s sport.
4 Nations Faceoff: Strain Is On To Step Up
Auston Matthews – F – USA
Mitch Marner shouldn’t be the one Toronto Maple Leafs participant underneath a number of stress heading into this match. Once more, it’s nonetheless early, however Marner delivered in Recreation 1 for Canada. Now it’s Auston Matthews’s flip to do it for Workforce USA. Whether or not it’s honest or not, you understand in regards to the success or lack thereof within the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the Maple Leafs. Matthews has proven moments within the playoffs, but it surely all the time takes him a few video games to get going.
He can’t afford to do this in such a brief match because the 4 Nations Face-off is. For those who take a look at his numbers, Matthews has 48 factors (23 objectives and 25 assists) in 55 playoff video games. He did have 11 factors in 11 video games in the course of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. However everyone knows how that second-round sequence ended towards Florida. Most of his factors have been collected within the first spherical towards Tampa Bay. So, he wants to point out he can get it executed early.
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Bear in mind final yr, Matthews missed the ultimate two video games of the playoffs towards the Boston Bruins with an harm. So this match, taking part in with Jake Guentzel and Jack Hughes, might be a part of a redemption tour. Matthews performed on the World Championships in 2016 for Workforce USA, and his final medal got here on the 2016 World Juniors. There, he tied for the match lead with seven objectives. Matthews is seen as among the finest gamers on the earth and could have lots to show.
Patrik Laine – F – Finland
That is the type of match that can assist somebody like Patrik Laine. When the rosters first have been introduced, Laine had not touched the ice for the Montreal Canadiens as he was coping with an harm from the preseason. Nevertheless, GM Jeri Lehtinen knew why he put Laine on the workforce: due to his talent and what he can do on the powerplay.
When he returned to the Canadiens lineup, Laine began off on hearth. He recorded eight objectives in 9 video games, all of which got here on the ability play due to his deadly shot from the circle. He made a dwelling on that shot when he performed for the Winnipeg Jets. His sport has cooled off some, however so have the Canadiens. Laine has gone 10 straight video games with out a objective. His final objective got here again on January nineteenth.
Patrik Laine a Difference Maker for the Montreal Canadiens
Laine has 12 objectives on the season, 10 of that are on the ability play. So particular groups in a brief match like this might be essential. Now we have not seen Laine on this stage since 2016. He gained World Junior gold in Finland and gained silver on the Worlds in the identical yr. He tied Matthews with the match lead with seven objectives. Laine is a participant that may step up right here and can look to get his sport going. He hopes it would carry over for the remainder of the common season.
Mikko Rantanen – F – Finland
Everybody will say, why Mikko Rantanen is on this record? Effectively, ever for the reason that commerce from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes, he has not been the identical participant. Let’s be sincere right here: Rantanen isn’t the identical participant he was in Colorado. To not point out, he’s nonetheless in shock that he obtained traded. He has two factors (one objective and one help) in six video games with the Hurricanes. Earlier than that, he had 64 factors (25 objectives and 39 assists) in 49 video games with the Avalanche.
We all know who Rantanen is as a participant. He’s known as Moose for a cause, however totally different teaching types and programs have an effect on how gamers play. Finland is defensive-minded, however they’ve the offensive capacity to get issues going. Taking part in on a line with present teammate Sebastian Aho and former teammate Artturi Lehkonen ought to assist Rantanen discover his sport.
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Once more, as a result of Colorado has been so profitable within the playoffs, we now have not seen Rantanen on this stage. Although he did play in 2023, registering 9 factors in eight video games, all assists, the final time he actually performed was in 2017 and 2018. In 2017, he had 10 factors (4 objectives and 6 assists) in 10 video games. The next yr, he had 11 factors (5 objectives and 6 assists) in eight video games. So we all know the expertise and talent is there. The 4 Nations Faceoff might be a very good turning level for Rantanen to get him on monitor in Carolina.
Connor Hellebuyck – G – USA
One other goalie going through stress is Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Hellebuyck is seen as among the finest goalies on the earth, however on the large stage, he has faulted during the last couple of seasons in Winnipeg. Now, to be honest, the Jets play him each sport, and he may be taxed by the point playoffs begin, however nonetheless, the most effective goalies on the earth get it executed on the large stage.
It is a huge stage for Hellebuyck and Workforce USA. Everybody says the Individuals have the most effective goalies on the earth. For those who take a look at the percentages, they’re co-favorites, together with Canada, to win. Not simply due to their guys upfront however due to the man in between the pipes, Connor Hellebuyck. The 2-time Vezina Trophy winner is having one other phenomenal season.
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By way of 43 Video games with the Jets, he has a file of 34-7-2 with a 2.06 GAA and a .925 save proportion. These are elite numbers. He’s on his approach to one other Vezina Trophy-winning season. The query might be, can he get it executed at this stage? He has performed for Workforce USA twice on the Worlds. As soon as in 2015 and as soon as in 2017. Although he put up good numbers in 2017, his numbers in 2015 have been excellent, with a file of 7-1 with a 1.37 GAA and a .948 save proportion,e and he was named First Workforce All-Star by the media. So he can go to that degree for Workforce USA.
4 Nations Face-off continues Thursday night time as Workforce USA takes on Finland on the Bell Centre in Montreal.
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