One of the more unfortunate substories during Team USA’s victory over Team Canada on Saturday night was the lower-body injury forward Matthew Tkachuk suffered in the third period. He won’t play against Team Sweden tonight, as Dan Rosen of the NHL reported that Tkachuk didn’t practice with the team this morning.
Since they are the only team in the tournament with two regulation wins, there’s not much on the line for Team USA this evening. However, it seems the United States is confident Tkachuk will return for the championship game on Thursday. Amalie Benjamin of The Boston Globe shared a note from Matthew’s brother, Brady Tkachuk, saying Matthew will be ’good to go’ for Thursday’s matchup.
It’ll be important for the United States to get Matthew back in the lineup for the championship contest. He scored two goals and one assist in their victory against Team Finland last week and got the all-important matchup against Canada started with a fight against Brandon Hagel off the opening faceoff. Much like they are for their respective NHL clubs, the Tkachuk brothers have quickly become Teams USA’s emotional lifeblood.
Other notes from the 4 Nations Face-Off:
- Another important substory from Saturday night’s rivalry matchup between Canada and the United States was the lack of the former’s top defenseman, Cale Makar. The former James Norris, Calder, and Conn Smythe Trophy winner was dealing with an illness that prohibited him from participating. Unfortunately for Team Canada, there’s no guarantee he’ll return against Team Finland. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski shared that Makar has again been listed as a game-time decision for today’s matchup, meaning a firmer decision will be made closer to puck drop.
- Speaking of Team Finland, the team’s forward grouping will look slightly different. Dan Rosen reported that Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia is replacing Chicago Blackhawks’ Teuvo Teräväinen in this afternoon’s lineup. Teräväinen has gone scoreless throughout the tournament averaging approximately 8:30 of ice time per game.
Good that Kreider will get a chance to play in a game.
The Canada vs Finland game is in half an hour, not “tonight” as suggested in the Makar bit.
They’re looking for writers if you feel such a way!
I noticed that too. Writers need to get away from using their clichés. They are used to using “tonight” as their reference time for games so much that it kinda becomes a cliché and they use it without thinking. But readers notice almost everything. Maybe we should be writers? ✍
Makar is in.
Thanks to the Tkachuk bros for setting hockey back 20-30 years. Uncalled for and typical rnecks. Perfect example of why the boobirds b4 the game. Maybe Rempe is available next time?
You are an idiot for comparing the Tkachuk brothers to a no talent goon like Rempe. Moron
The game Saturday night brought in countless numbers of knew fans thanks to the Tkachuk brothers, and here you are lamenting that. Thankfully, the no-fighting crowd are a small, albeit loud, group.
And here I’m thinking hockey is back.
No purpose in starting a fight in the first minute (9 secs) of a hockey game other than intimidation, being a jack***, or less talented player. I’m a hockey fan to watch the skating and talent of players like McDavid, Crosby, Matthews, etc. If I wanted to watch fighting, I’d turn to UFC, MMA, or boxing. The only time I expect and respect fighting in the current state of hockey is when a Tkachuk type player goes after a player that takes a cheap shot at one of the more talented (non-fighter) players.
You said it “a no talent goon like Rempe,” In my opinion, guys like Rempe have no place in hockey. Get rid of players like him. We all know why guys like him have jobs mainly in North American hockey. If you can’t skate with your opponents match their hockey skills, intelligence, and abilities. You beat’em up physically to slow and wear them down, In other words, bully them and injure your opponent. That’s not hockey. That’s the NFL on skates.
Maybe we can learn a few things from European hockey? Of course, that’s blasphemy in America and not what many want to hear due to a certain mindset in this country!
Thankfully, most hockey fans disagree with you. There’s lots of European leagues you can go watch.