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The most anticipated hockey showdown of the year is just hours away, as Canada and the United States face off Thursday night in what promises to be an explosive championship game of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

This isn’t just another hockey game. It’s the replacement for this year’s NHL All-Star Game, featuring the best NHL players from four powerhouse nations – and it’s already delivered plenty of fireworks.

The last time these rivals met – just five days ago in Montreal – things got wild. Three fights broke out in the first nine seconds. The U.S. walked away with a 3-1 win, but that was just the warm-up.

Now they’re meeting again at Boston’s TD Garden at 8 p.m. ET, and this time there’s a trophy on the line.

Canada had to earn their spot the hard way, beating Finland 5-3 in a nail-biter on Monday. They jumped out to a 4-0 lead before holding off a fierce Finnish comeback.

The U.S. team is dealing with some injury concerns. Auston Matthews and the Tkachuk brothers should be ready to play, but they’re losing Charlie McAvoy after he landed in the hospital Monday.

Jake Guentzel’s been on fire for Team USA, tied for the tournament lead with three goals. He’s sharing that spot with Canada’s Nathan MacKinnon and Finland’s Mikael Granlund.

Here’s what makes this matchup extra special: These teams have only met four times before in major international finals. Canada’s won three of them, including that unforgettable 2010 Olympic gold medal game when Sidney Crosby scored the winner in overtime.

Speaking of Crosby, he’s still going strong. He’s tied for the tournament points lead with five, matching U.S. defenseman Zach Werenski.

Connor McDavid’s been unstoppable for Canada, picking up points in every game. The Americans have their own streak going with Werenski and Jack Eichel doing the same.

In goal, the U.S. has a secret weapon. Connor Hellebuyck has been practically unbeatable, with a ridiculous .957 save percentage and only giving up one goal in each of his games.

The oddsmakers have this one close – the U.S. is just a slight 1.5-goal favorite. After that first heated matchup, this final could be even more intense.

Only two players from that 2010 Olympic final are still around for this one: Crosby and Drew Doughty, both suiting up for Canada. But there’s plenty of new bad blood between these teams to keep this rivalry red-hot.

Alex Thompson
Alex Thompson
Alex Thompson is a Senior Writer for HockeyMonitor. With a background in Sports Media, Alex joined the team in 2022. He focuses on providing the latest hockey news, game scores, and fresh NHL trade rumors.

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