Sidney Crosby, centre, celebrates after his goal against Finland during the third period on Monday in Boston.Charles Krupa/The Associated Press
Canada got its wish and will now vie for the championship of the 4 Nations Face-Off on Thursday in a revenge match with the United States.
The Americans won 3-1 on Saturday in the international best-on-best tournament in a slugfest that featured three fights in the first nine seconds.
Nathan MacKinnon scored twice on Monday and Connor McDavid, Brayden Point and Sidney Crosby had one goal each in a 5-3 victory over Finland at TD Garden. The outcome appeared to be all but determined before the Finns scored three times in four minutes with their goalie pulled during the third period.
Crosby restored order with an empty-netter to seal the win with 56 seconds remaining. Canada needed to win to advance to the final against its cross-border rival.
Canada and the U.S. take pressure, history into 4 Nations final
“The last thing we wanted to do was go home today or tomorrow,” MacKinnon said afterward. The Colorado Avalanche star has three goals in as many round-robin games. “We are happy to play the Americans again. I think we can do better this time.”
A blur for 60 minutes, McDavid had a goal and an assist. He beat Finnish goalie Kevin Lankinen on a spectacular wrist shot a little more than four minutes after the opening puck drop. MacKinnon then broke in on the net 46 seconds later and snapped a puck into the back of it for a 2-0 lead. Sam Reinhart and Brandon Hagel drew assists.
Connor McDavid passes the puck past Finland's Urho Vaakanainen during the third period on Monday. He had a goal and an assist in the game.Charles Krupa/The Associated Press
Brayden Point, who was moved to the first line on Monday, slipped a backhand past Lankinen with 5:58 left in the first period. He buried a rebound off a hard shot by Travis Sanheim with McDavid drawing the secondary helper.
At that point Lankinen, who plays for the Vancouver Canucks, had been scored upon three times on 11 shots. He was yanked early in the second after MacKinnon scored another with assists to Crosby and, again, Reinhart.
Juuse Saros was called on to relieve Lankinen and stopped all 14 shots the rest of the way – good enough to allow Finland at least a snowball’s chance.
The Finns did make it interesting but a 4-0 deficit proved too much to overcome.
“We felt a lot of emotions after [losing] that last game,” MacKinnon said. “We knew we had to win this and got a great start, with a great goal by the league’s greatest player.
“I’m just trying to play the best I can. I’m not trying to be ‘the guy’ or anything and I don’t think Connor is either. We’re just trying to do the utmost we can.”
Canada goalie Jordan Binnington was steady – but not overworked until the third period. Then he caused a few palpitations as Finland began its rally. Esa Lindell scored first, then Mikael Granlund got two, the final one with 1:17 left that cut Canada’s lead to 4-3.
Then Crosby turned out the lights.
Canada coach Jon Cooper was wary of the Finns before things got under way.
“The one thing that strikes me is just how disciplined they are,” Cooper said at a morning availability with the media. “They can frustrate you. That’s what you have to fight through. Games against them are almost always close. Suddenly it gets down to the last five minutes and it is tied.”
He was nearly spot-on in that assessment.
Finland’s players looked loose beforehand. Patrik Laine led about a dozen teammates in a game of soccer beneath the arena. The lean forward is so adept at it that it looked as if he could have chosen that path if he so wished.
Brad Marchand, a Nova Scotian and the captain of the Boston Bruins, was pensive when he was brought out to address reporters about an hour before the skirmish commenced. A loss would have eliminated the Canadians and been a huge disappointment.
“No one thought this would be easy,” Marchand, 36, said. “We knew it would be tough. I am just grateful to play in games of this magnitude in this building. I’m trying to embrace every moment of this.”
After his team fell behind 2-0, Finland coach Antti Pennanen called a quick timeout.
“I just told the team to calm down,” he said. “There was lots of time left.”
Finland lost to the U.S. 6-1 in its first game at the 4 Nations Face-Off, which is being held during what is normally the NHL’s all-star break.
Pennanen was asked to predict Thursday’s outcome.
“Both have very good teams, great players and so much speed,” he said. “I don’t know if Canada can win, but it is only one game. Anything can happen. A huge game is coming.”