Connor McDavid's Overtime Goal Leads Canada to 3-2 Victory Against United States in 4 Nations Face-Off Championship

BOSTON (AP) — As the Canadian national anthem played for the second time, no American fans remained to express their discontent.

Instead, the Canadian players and coaching staff formed a united front at the blue line, proudly donning their championship hats while the maple leaf flag was lowered behind the Four Nations Face-Off trophy, with their anthem echoing through the arena that typically serves as the Americans’ home ice. The Canadian supporters who remained, many clad in red Team Canada jerseys, enthusiastically joined in the singing.

Connor McDavid netted the game-winning goal at 8:18 of overtime, leading Canada to a hard-fought 3-2 win over the United States on Thursday night. What began as a prelude to the 2026 Olympics evolved into a high-stakes clash of national pride and rivalry.

In simpler terms: It was 3 goals for the U.S. and 2 for Canada, a matchup reflecting the fierce competition between these North American nations.

“You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted, referencing President Donald Trump’s past comments about turning Canada into the 51st U.S. state.

“With all that’s happening between Canada and the U.S. right now, competing against each other was like a perfect storm for the sport,” remarked Nathan MacKinnon, who was named the tournament MVP after scoring four goals in four matches. “The event garnered much more attention than we anticipated, capturing the interest of our entire continent.”

Goalie Jordan Binnington made 31 saves, stopping 20 in a row towards the end, on the same ice where he helped the St. Louis Blues claim the Stanley Cup as a rookie five years ago. Alongside McDavid, teammates MacKinnon and Sam Bennett also contributed goals for Canada, equalizing in the second period before entering a scoreless third.

After Binnington’s remarkable performance in the early moments of overtime, Canada capitalized on a faceoff in the U.S. zone. Mitch Marner skillfully maneuvered along the boards before passing to McDavid, who secured the victory with his winning shot. The Canadian players erupted in celebration, shook hands with the defeated Americans, and joyfully took turns skating with the newly earned trophy.

“It’s incredible to see the reaction and understand what this victory means to us,” McDavid expressed. “While it’s just a short tournament and not an Olympic gold medal, it holds immense value for our group, as evident from our celebration.”

“I truly hope the new fans we engaged through this tournament loved the experience,” he continued. “Hockey is a fantastic sport, and I hope we’ve put on a memorable show over the past few days.”

Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson found the net for the Americans, with Connor Hellebuyck making 22 saves in regulation and three in overtime. Historically, the U.S. has struggled against Canada in premier international matchups since the Vancouver Olympics in 2010, with their only win coming in a Four Nations round-robin match that turned Thursday’s game into one of the most exciting contests in decades.

“For the fans watching from home, I hope they see this and feel inspired to join us,” U.S. forward Dylan Larkin said. “This event has done wonders for the growth of the game, and I hope it encourages the next generation; I’d love for them to experience the Olympics next year.”

The intensity of this rivalry escalated during the tournament, fueled by Trump’s threats of tariffs and discussions about making Canada part of the U.S. The morning of the game, Trump reached out to the American team to wish them luck and took a jab at “Governor Trudeau” via Truth Social.

The political backdrop blended with the high-caliber play of the round-robin contest, which the U.S. captured 3-1 on Saturday, to create an electrifying environment akin to a Stanley Cup Final or Olympic gold medal clash at TD Garden.

Fans clad in team jerseys waved flags and chanted their support, continuing the tradition of booing the opposing anthem, which has become a nightly feature of this tournament, marking the return of NHL stars to international play after an absence from the last two Winter Games.

The pre-game hype video paid tribute to the 1980 Olympics, recalling the underdog U.S. team’s upset of the powerful Soviet squad during the Cold War. Olympic legend and honorary U.S. captain Mike Eruzione wore a Johnny Gaudreau jersey in memory of the former Boston College and Calgary Flames player, tragically killed by a drunk driver last summer.

The American crowd erupted with chants of “Johnny Hockey!” to boost their team, often breaking into cheers of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” reminiscent of Lake Placid.

This time, however, victory belonged to the team sporting red jerseys.

“We were determined to win this match,” Canadian forward Mark Stone declared. “There are 40 million Canadians at home, and you can really feel their energy. Representing our country and bearing our flag is an extraordinary honor. It unites us, and we’re thrilled to have secured this win.”