How the U.S. ran up a 6-1 win over Finland: Grades, top players and lingering questions

The opening game of the 4 Nations Face-Off was a close one — a 4-3 overtime win for Canada over Sweden. The second contest was also close … for 37 minutes.

Finland and the United States were tied 1-1 until 17:04 of the second, but then the U.S. hit the afterburners — and cranked up “Free Bird” on the Bell Centre sound system on repeat — en route to a 6-1 rout.

The Finns will next take on their rival Sweden on Saturday (1 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+), and the U.S. will face Canada in the nightcap (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+/Disney+).

Before those games, let’s digest the U.S. victory over Finland. Here are grades for both teams, our biggest takeaways, key players to watch for the next game as well as lingering questions.

Grading the teams

United States: A

Anything less than a regulation win against shorthanded Finland would been embarrassing for Team USA, especially after Canada left a point on the table against Sweden last night in an overtime win. For a while, that looked like a possibility: Finland was doing as Finland does against elite opponents — grinding down the tempo and taking an early lead. One of the best signs for the Americans in this win: zero panic and plenty of poise for a team that doesn’t have anything close to the “best on best” or NHL championship experience of a team like Canada.

Team USA fond its swagger in the last 23 minutes, from Matt Boldy‘s expert deflection on Minnesota Wild teammate Brock Faber‘s point shot to make it 3-1, through their three goals in three minutes to open the third period and put away the game.

Some might say the final score doesn’t tell the whole story because the U.S. scored four goals in the final period, but I think it does. The Americans were plus-15 in scoring chances and had an expected goals percentage of 72.5% at 5-on-5. Even when the game was close, it was inevitable. When there were breakdowns, Connor Hellebuyck (20 saves) was there. This was the statement the U.S. needed before facing Canada, in direct response to what its future foe did in its opener. — Greg Wyshynski

Finland: D

Everything was going so well until the first 26 seconds of the third period. Finland had limited its mistakes. One of the goals it had given up was off a deflection. But even with that, Finland was working to take away space. But, Olli Maatta‘s late second-period hooking penalty led to the U.S. scoring on another deflection just 15 seconds into the third period … before Jake Guentzel scored nine seconds later.

And just like that, the defensively responsible performance Finland deployed to be within a goal to start the third became a three-goal deficit less than a minute into the final period, all but ending its chances for a win. That became even more clear when Brady Tkachuk cut through the heart of Finland’s zone for his team’s third goal on its first four shots of the period for a 5-1 lead, and brother Matthew capped it off with another tally to make it 6-1. — Ryan S. Clark

What we learned

The Tkachuks drive the bus

Coach Mike Sullivan finally gave the people what they wanted late in the second period when he flanked Jack Eichel with brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk. Sullivan had previously split the brothers in his lineup to give two lines their particular brand of whimsy. But as the Americans searched for more 5-on-5 offense, it was time to break glass on the Brothers Tkachuk — and it paid off.

That line landed the knockout blow against Finland, combining for the third American goal in the first three minutes of the third period. Matthew fed Eichel, who threaded a pass to Brady for a point-blank goal.

Even when they weren’t together, the Tkachuks drove the bus all night for Team USA. Brady evened the score at 10:21 of the first period after Henri Jokiharju gave Finland a surprising early lead, sneaking behind three defenders before scoring past Juuse Saros. Then it was Matthew scoring a critical power-play goal 15 seconds into the third period to give the Americans a 3-1 lead, firing a long-range shot that deflected off the stick of his Panthers teammate Niko Mikkola‘s stick.

It was Matthew again on the power play to make it 6-1, knocking down a Zach Werenski point shot and then cashing in his own rebound. Eichel picked up a secondary assist.

Between the Auston Matthews line with Guentzel and Jack Hughes and this Two Chuks and a Jack line, Team USA leaves the tournament opener with two potent scoring lines established. — Wyshynski

Finland needs its top two lines to produce, and fast

Having Aleksander Barkov center a line with Artturi Lehkonen and Mikko Rantanen was supposed to give Finland a top line that had facilitators who could all score just as well as they distribute. Plus, it’s a top-line trio that’s experienced when it comes to finding success in tight spaces given all three are Stanley Cup winners.

Creating a second line with Sebastian Aho, Roope Hintz and Patrik Laine was a combination that would see two of the game’s steadfast two-way forwards partner with a winger who possesses one of the game’s most impressive shots. All together, this was supposed to be one of the bedrocks of Finland’s identity.

Those six players combined for 10 shots. But … nine of those shots belonged to Barkov (five) and Lehknonen (four). It amounted to Finland’s top two lines — which featured a 50-goal scorer (Rantanen), a 40-goal scorer (Laine), three 30-goal scorers (Aho, Barkov and Hintz) along with a 20-goal scorer on pace for his first 30-goal campaign (Lehkonen) — scoring no goals.

Or to view it this way: Finland received no goals from four players (Aho, Barkov, Laine and Rantanen) who are all in the top 10 of NHL goals scored all time by Finnish players. — Clark

Play “Free Bird”

As teased by USA Hockey before the tournament, the Americans have made “Free Bird” their official goal song of the 4 Nations Face-Off. While the 1973 rock anthem by Lynyrd Skynyrd is a staple of American classic rock, it also has become an unexpected hockey anthem for Team USA.

In the 2025 IIHF World Juniors Hockey Championship, the U.S. made “Free Bird” its signature goal song. University of Denver defenseman Zeev Buium suggested the option. “The first five or six minutes of that song are super mellow and not much going on. So we knew [the raucous guitar solo] was the part of the song we were going with,” he said.

It paid off well for the U.S. at world juniors, as they won their second straight championship. The Americans are hoping it will help them fly high at 4 Nations.

But the song might also serve a more nefarious purpose: It’s a Kendrick Lamar-level troll job, reminding Canadians of Team USA’s world juniors glory at a time when their once-heralded team couldn’t advance out of the quarterfinals. Say, Drake … — Wyshynski

A Finnish defense that entered the tournament with questions has more it must answer

Here’s where it gets complicated for Finland. Those opening two periods prove that Finland does have the personnel and the structure capable of frustrating an opponent, while initially providing Saros with a manageable workload — compared to what he faces on a nightly basis with the Nashville Predators.

But the three-goal barrage on the U.S.’s first four shots in the third period reignited the questions about whether Finland can navigate the 4 Nations tournament without All-Star Miro Heiskanen, Jani Hakanpaa and Rasmus Ristolainen, who are sitting out the event because of injuries.

It raises one major question for Finland before it faces Sweden. What is the more accurate representation? The first two periods against what is perhaps the most talented team in the tournament? Or the third period that doomed them? — Clark

Players to watch

Finland matched up Barkov, the best defensive center in the NHL, against Matthews throughout the game, which is one reason why the Toronto Maple Leafs star didn’t score a goal. The fact is that it can take Matthews a little time to get cooking as a goal scorer in tournaments: In nine career Stanley Cup playoff series, Matthews scored a goal in the opening game of a series only once.

Though he didn’t score himself, Matthews created Guentzel’s goal scored just 11 seconds after Matthew Tkachuk’s goal to open the third — intercepting the puck at his blue line and then dishing to Guentzel after attracting Finland’s defenders to the slot. Matthews’ line with Guentzel and Hughes was consistently good all game for the U.S., combining for 14 shot attempts.

Saturday night against Canada is an opportunity for Matthews to lead his nation to an epic win — and stifle critics who grumble about his performance in pressure situations. — Wyshynski

Entering the tournament, there were already questions about how Rantanen would perform given he has only two points in six games since being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. Of course, Rantanen is one of the most gifted players Finland has ever produced: He’s fourth among Finns in NHL goals, 10th in assists and seventh in points. He’s a two-time 100-point scorer who could possibly get his third 100-point season this season.

But against the U.S., he had no shots while logging 19 minutes, 21 seconds of ice time, which was the second most of any forward behind Barkov. That can’t continue if Finland is going to have any chance. — Clark

Big questions for the next game

Was this enough proof of concept to confidently take on Canada?

Let’s be honest: If the Americans defeated Finland in a tepid 3-1 squeaker buoyed by a late empty-netter, it would have meant three points in the standings but wouldn’t have exactly put wind in their sails before facing Canada. Not after the latter’s thrilling OT win over Sweden, in which Canada flexed its offensive depth, all-world talent and blazing speed despite an inconsistent effort.

But this was a resounding victory over the Finns, where patience was a virtue until the offense (and the power play) came to life in the third. The Americans played with physicality and swagger, and Hellebuyck was a model of serenity in the net.

Saturday night is going to be a different experience. Much different. The boos will be louder and the home ice will be a distinct advantage for Canada. Their lineup is filled with game-changers who will take advantage of American miscues in a way Finland couldn’t. They have Sidney Crosby. They have Connor McDavid. They have them both on a power play that looked like the most unstoppable quintet in the history of hockey in the brief few seconds they needed before scoring on their only opportunity.

But now the Americans have a win. They have proof of concept. They enter the showdown against their archrivals with a different comportment than many previous “best on best” U.S. teams have against Canada. The U.S. won’t be in awe. The players won’t genuflect to their medals and Stanley Cup rings. They know they entered this tournament as co-favorites. And now they have all the confidence in the world, or at least among 4 Nations. — Wyshynski

What changes must Finland make ahead of Saturday against Sweden?

Anytime a team gives up six goals, there’s going to be a conversation about what went wrong and what must be done to avoid a similar result. That’s the position Finland finds itself in with the idea that the next 48 hours could be extremely crucial when it comes to whether it can recover against Sweden or fall into a deeper hole.

There’s two items Finland must look to solve. How it can score more goals while also trying to prevent more of them from being scored. Does Finland coach Antti Pennanen keep his top two lines together? Or does he shuffle them given how the group failed to produce? Especially when half of Finland’s top six failed to even muster a shot on goal?

But then there’s the defensive conversation. Does it behoove Finland to shuffle its defense pairings or does it concentrate more on how it found consistency through the first two periods and use that as a framework? And while not all six of the U.S. goals can be pinned on Saros, it does raise questions about if Finland will turn to Kevin Lankinen or continue to stick with one of the game’s most reliable goalies in Saros. — Clark