Tkachuk brothers score 4, Rangers pair physical in 6-1 United States win vs. Finland at 4 Nations Face-Off
You won’t find any New York Rangers on the score sheet from the United States’ 6-1 win against Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal on Thursday. But that’s OK because Team USA had the Tkachuk brothers filling the net in their first game of the midseason international tournament.
Matthew Tkachuk finished with two goals, one assist and a game-high eight shots on goal for the United States. Younger brother Brady scored twice and was credited with a game-high eight hits.
The U.S. started slowly, falling behind 1-0, but found their edge when coach Mike Sullivan paired the Tkachuk brothers on the same line after they began the game on separate lines. Leading 2-1 after two periods, the U.S. exploded for four goals in the third to turn this one into a rout, with Matthew scoring twice and Brady notching his second of the night.
Rangers forwards J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck came out flying for the United States, each delivering a crushing hit in the opening minutes on separate shifts. Neither had a shot on goal Thursday, but each was strong at the face-off dot, where Trocheck won seven of 11 draws and Miller won six of 10. Miller also had three hits and was plus-2; Trocheck had two hits.
Blueshirts defenseman Adam Fox also was on the winning side. He logged 18:41 TOI and had one shot on goal and four shot attempts. Fellow Rangers defenseman Urho Vaakanainen was minus-2 in 13:12 TOI for Finland.
Matt Boldy and Jake Guentzel each had a goal and an assist for Team USA, who will next play Canada on Saturday night. Zach Werenski had three assists and Jack Eichel had two. Connor Hellebuyck finished with 20 saves.
Henri Jokiharju scored Finland’s only goal. Juuse Saros made 26 saves. Finland plays Sweden on Saturday afternoon.
Related: Current and former Rangers forwards scratched for United States-Finland clash
United States 6 – Finland 1
The deeper and more talented U.S. squad had the better of the play and chances in the first period. So, of course, it was Finland who scored the first goal.
Jokiharju, he of the one goal in 39 games with the Buffalo Sabres and 17 goals in 386 NHL games, opened the scoring at 7:31 when his right-wing shot off the rush leaked through Hellebuyck.
It was one of several frustrating moments for the United States over the first 20 minutes. Auston Matthews and Brock Nelson each rang shots off the post, and Noah Hanifin stepped out of the penalty box at 13:44 in time to collect the puck and take off on a clean breakaway that was denied by Saros.
The United States did score to tie the game 1-1 at 10:21. Brady Tkachuk scored a greasy goal on a second or third effort with Miller on the ice, though not on the score sheet.
But that’s all the U.S. could manage against Saros in the opening period despite outshooting Finland 13-7 and out-chancing the Finns 13-2, including 8-1 in high-danger opportunities.
There was more frustration in the second period for the United States as Finland did an excellent job clogging the neutral zone. The Finns limited Team USA to seven shots in the second, but did allow the go-ahead goal at 17:04.
Boldy deflected a Brock Faber shot into the net to make it 2-1 after the U.S. won a series of puck battles in the offensive zone. Again, Miller was on the ice for a U.S. score, letting Kyle Connor’s pass from down low slide back to the right point for a waiting Faber.
There was no frustration in the third period for the United States, which scored twice in the opening 26 seconds and added another at the 3-minute mark to blow the game open at 5-1.
Matthew Tkachuk spun around and whipped a right-wing shot that tipped off the stick of Finland defenseman Niko Mikkola, the former Rangers blueliner, and past Saros for a power-play goal just 15 seconds into the third.
Then Guentzel zipped a left-wing shot past Saros, finishing a slick passing sequence with Jack Hughes and Matthews. Brady Tkachuk followed with his second goal on a nifty forehand-to-backhand finish after a slick pass from Eichel.
At 4:03, Fox was sent off for a coincidental minor with Sebastian Aho. Thirty seconds later Werenski was whistled for a tripping penalty and Finland had a 4-on-3 power play. So, Sullivan sent Miller and Trocheck over the boards as the forward PK combination and the pair of Rangers did the job on a strong kill by Team USA.
Matthew Tkachuk made it 6-1 with a power-play goal at 11:13. The Florida Panthers forward deflected Werenski’s shot into Saros’ pads and then buried his own rebound for his second goal of the game.
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