Charlie McAvoy's hit on Connor McDavid was another US message sent at the 4 Nations Face-Off

 

[February 17, 2025]  By STEPHEN WHYNO

MONTREAL (AP) — Charlie McAvoy lined up Connor McDavid and delivered a textbook hit that sent the best hockey player in the world careening into the glass and down to the ice.

A mere 19 seconds later, Jake Guentzel scored the tying goal — McDavid scored the first one — on the way to the United States beating Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off on Saturday night in an epic clash of the two rivals. Top-line forward Matthew Tkachuk, who fought two seconds after the puck dropped to send a message, raved about McAvoy making a big impression.

“That also is a message-sending moment — probably one of the plays of the game," Tkachuk said. “They just scored a goal, the building was rocking and Charlie comes there and pops McDavid, like one of the hardest hits I’ve seen.”

And it wasn't McAvoy's only hit. He also rocked Sidney Crosby in the first minute.

Coach Mike Sullivan, whose daughter Kiley is married to McAvoy, has several times mentioned how special it is to be on the same team with his son-in-law for the first time.

“Charlie is a fierce competitor," Sullivan said. “I watch him when he plays for the Bruins. I watch what he does for them. It’s been such a privilege for me to have an opportunity to coach him here at an event like this.”

Tkachuk called McAvoy one of the best U.S. players against Canada, adding, 'I think the rest of us, we followed him.”

It was easy to follow McAvoy given how he was leading by throwing his body around with reckless abandon.

“That hit Charlie threw on (McDavid) was kind of a game-changer,” defense partner Zach Werenski said. “He’s been known to do that. He’s great with his size, he’s really good defensively and I thought that was a perfectly timed hit to get our team going in the right direction.”

McAvoy now gets to play the championship game in his NHL home arena on Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston.

Dude, where's Makar?
Cale Makar missed Canada's game against the U.S. with what the team has called an illness. He took part in an optional practice Sunday and coach Jon Cooper said Makar was trending in the right direction to play in a must-win game against Finland on Monday, but it will be a game-time decision.

Canada's Sidney Crosby (87) is upended by United States' Charlie McAvoy during the first period of a 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game in Montreal on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. (Graham Hughes//The Canadian Press via AP)

“I’m going to do everything I can to play," Makar told reporters in Boston. “I got to do what’s, unfortunately, best for myself and make sure that I’m ready to go for the rest of the season."

Granlund the OT hero
Scoring in overtime for Finland against Sweden on Saturday, Mikael Granlund showed the Dallas Stars what they are getting after they acquired the solid, all-around forward in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 1. Granlund had defenseman Niko Mikkola with him on a 2-on-1 rush and captain Aleksander Barkov on his way, and yet he waited it out and fired a perfect shot past Linus Ullmark for the game-winning goal.

Coach Antti Pennanen called it a good decision for Granlund, a pass-first player, to shoot.

“I finally shot one of those," Granlund said. “I’m glad it went in.”

Sweden goalie decision
Ullmark replaced Filip Gustavsson in goal for Sweden after one period against Finland, a decision coach Sam Hallam said was because of illness. Gustavsson allowed two goals on four shots before being pulled.

Hallam said Sunday that Gustavsson was feeling better but that a decision would come Monday on who starts in net. Ullmark should be a safe bet, especially because, like McAvoy, he has a lot of experience playing in Boston: He tended goal for the Bruins for three seasons, including 2022-23 when he won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender.

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