Grading 6 Rangers at 4 Nations Face-Off ahead of USA-Canada championship game

Zibanejad could have been a Swedish hero with a little more good fortune. He had Grade A chances early in overtime in Sweden’s losses to Canada and Finland but was robbed each time.

His only point in the two games he played came when he opened the scoring against Finland, a game the Swedes lost 4-3 in OT. It was his only tally on eight shots on goal. He finished with an even plus-minus rating.

His best work came in the face-off circle, where he was 22-12 (64.7 percent), including 10-2 (83.3 percent) against Finland.

Zibanejad sat out Sweden’s 2-1 loss to the United States because of illness.

Vaakanainen was a late addition after Miro Heiskanen, Finland’s best defenseman, and Rasmus Ristolainen had to miss the tournament because of injury. Suffice it to say that he wasn’t ready for prime time.

The 26-year-old, who spent most of the tournament on the third pairing with Ottawa Senators rookie Nikolas Matinpalo, had no goals, no assists and no shots on goal in the three games he played. He averaged just 12:55 of ice time, the least among any of his team’s defensemen.

He and Matinpalo each finished minus-5, the worst mark in the tournament. Their struggles were especially notable in Finland’s 5-3 loss to Canada on Monday, when the pairing was on the ice for three of Canada’s first four goals.

Vaakanainen was in over his head going against some of the world’s elite players, and it showed.

It hasn’t been a bad tournament by any stretch for Fox. But it’s been far from a great tournament for Fox, who has yet to produce a point, taken two minor penalties and just one shot on goal. He has an even plus-minus rating while averaging 16:46 of ice time in three games, playing on the second defense pairing, usually with Noah Hanifin. He’s also quarterbacked the second power-play unit.

All of those numbers are much lower than Rangers fans are used to – he has four goals, 44 points, a plus-6 rating and averages 23:27 of ice time as New York’s No. 1 defenseman.

Fox’s role could change because of the injury that will keep top-pair defenseman Charlie McAvoy out of the title game. If Team USA has to use Jake Sanderson, a healthy scratch for the first two games before playing 17:08 against Sweden, Fox figures to see more, and more important, ice time against Canada.

Perhaps increased responsibility will bring out the best in Fox, which we haven’t seen yet.

Kreider spent the first two games as a healthy scratch, but made an instant impact when he played against Sweden, banging in a rebound 35 seconds into the game. The 33-year-old finished the game plus-1 in 17:11 of ice time, with one hit and one giveaway.

The injury bug that has bitten Team USA might open up a spot for Kreider in the championship game. Auston Matthews (upper body) and Matthew Tkachuk (lower body) didn’t dress Monday and Brady Tkachuk (lower body) left in the first period. Matthew Tkachuk said he’ll be ready to go, and coach Mike Sullivan said Brady Tkachuk was held out as a precaution and thinks he’ll be good to go.

Matthews, who’s been bothered by injuries all season, was held out because Sullivan said he’s “nicked up.”

Kreider, a Boston-area native, would like nothing more than to play in front of the home folks wearing the USA sweater one more time.

Miller, who’s spent most of the tournament as a third-line left wing though has played up in the lineup too, barely missed a goal against Canada when his bid for an empty-netter hit the post. But his most notable moment in the first three games came when he squared off against Canadian defenseman Colton Parayko in the third of three fights in the first nine seconds of the Americans’ 3-1 win.

After being held without a shot attempt in the victories against Finland and Canada, Miller had the hardest shot attempt of the entire 4 Nations Face-Off (98.51 mph) against Sweden on Monday. Miller also leads 4 Nations Face-Off forwards in maximum shot speed (98.22 mph) during the NHL season.

Though he doesn’t have a point, Miller has been a physical force, is plus-2, tied for the best mark among U.S. forwards, has 10 hits, turned in excellent work on the penalty kill and is 18-13 in the face-off circle (58.1 percent).

Trocheck plays a top-six role with the Rangers but has spent most of his ice time in the tournament as a fourth-line center and penalty-killer – often in tandem with Miller.

He’s without a point in the tournament, has just one shot on goal, is minus-1 and averaging 11:34 of ice time. Like Miller, he’s been good in the circle, winning 53.9 percent of his draws (14 of 26) – although that’s a big drop from his regular-season mark of 60.6 percent.

The veteran center has done what coach Mike Sullivan has asked of him. He’s a prime example of how players who have major roles during NHL competition are willing to sacrifice their own game for the good of the team.

The only concern is if he’s playing hurt after seemingly injuring his hand or wrist against Sweden.