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The 4 Nations Face-Off is set to conclude as the National Hockey League intended: with a USA-Canada final. The two teams faced off on Saturday in their first best-on-best matchup in nine years, thrilling a lively Montreal crowd that greeted the event with three fights in the opening nine seconds. The rivalry, fueled by historical tensions, is currently more intense than ever. Before the final on Thursday night, let’s explore the history of this rivalry and how we arrived at this point.
In recent years, the World Juniors have favored the Americans, with the U.S. winning the last four gold-medal games against Canada, the latest being in 2021. However, this tournament represents a higher level of competition. The first best-on-best encounter occurred during the 1976 Canada Cup, which Canada won 4-2. The U.S. secured its first victory over Canada in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey after losing seven of their first eight encounters, with one tie. The U.S. won that World Cup, taking the best-of-three series against Canada, but Canadian dominance resumed afterward.
Leading up to the 4 Nations Face-Off, Canada held a 6-1 record against the U.S. from 1998 to 2016, with three of those victories being particularly painful for the Americans. Canada claimed the Olympic gold medal in Salt Lake City in 2002 and famously defeated the U.S. with Sidney Crosby’s golden goal in 2010 in Vancouver. Four years later, Canada again triumphed over the U.S. in the Olympic semifinals. The U.S.’s only win during this period came in the group stage of the 2010 Olympics, and their last encounter before last week resulted in a 4-2 victory for Canada in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto. It has been a long time since the U.S. enjoyed bragging rights.
The top players from both countries have been sidelined due to NHL-related issues, including scheduling and COVID-19. However, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced last year that the new 4 Nations Face-Off would take place, with NHL players returning to the Olympics in 2026 and 2030. As the tournament approached, some skepticism lingered.
