US hockey star Charlie McAvoy receives praise for big hit on Canada's Connor McDavid in intense 4 Nations game | Fox News
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The 4 Nations Face-Off matchup between the U.S. and Canada had sports fans everywhere talking about the anthem booing and the three subsequent fights in the first 9 seconds of the game.
Lost in that is what the U.S. had to overcome to win the matchup and advance to the final.
Connor Hellebuyck, #37 of Team United States, celebrates with Charlie McAvoy, #25, as Brock Faber, #14, looks on after their 3-1 win in the 4 Nations Face-Off game between the United States and Canada at Bell Centre on Feb. 15, 2025 in Montreal.(Andre Ringuette/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey via Getty Images)
Canada's Connor McDavid opened the scoring soon after when the electricity was at its highest. Canada hoped to steal one and send their fans home happy, but the U.S. looked to reset the tone immediately after, and the Americans believed Charlie McAvoy did just that.
McAvoy put a big hit on McDavid in the first period, and 19 seconds later, Jake Guentzel got the equalizer past Jordan Binnington. Matthew Tkachuk said it was McAvoy's hit that revitalized the team.
"That also is a message-sending moment — probably one of the plays of the game," the Florida Panthers star said. "They just scored a goal, the building was rocking and Charlie comes there and pops McDavid, like one of the hardest hits I've seen."
Canada's Connor McDavid, #97, and Sidney Crosby, #87, talk during the third period of a 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game against the United States in Montreal on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025.(Graham Hughes//The Canadian Press via AP)
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Tkachuk added that McAvoy's teammates "followed" McAvoy's aggressiveness afterward.
"That hit Charlie threw on (McDavid) was kind of a game-changer," U.S. defenseman Zach Werenski said. "He's been known to do that. He's great with his size, he's really good defensively and I thought that was a perfectly timed hit to get our team going in the right direction."
Dylan Larkin put the U.S. up 2-1 in the second period, and Guentzel later put one in an empty net and the U.S. won the game.
McDavid still held out hope Canada can bounce back and get to the final for a rematch.
"It was fast, tight-checking, competitive, emotional," he said, via The Athletic. "It had everything you would want in a hockey game. It sucks it didn't go our way, but this thing's far from over."
Canada's Sidney Crosby, #87, is checked by United States' Charlie McAvoy, #25, as Vincent Trocheck, #16, looks on during first period 4 Nations Face-Off hockey action in Montreal on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025.(Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP
The U.S. will play Sweden and Canada will play Finland in the final games before the championship.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
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Canadian fans ….. keepin it classy …..
Thanks
No worries. I consider the source.
Great game. US defense and goalkeeping was outstanding.
Yep and our stick, Dylan Larkin found the net.
Wolverine and Red Wing
Hockey is a contact sport, players get hit, even stars
I saw this the other day and thought it pretty accurate
Hockey as pro sports go is about as unblemished by the bullshit that has pervaded other sports.
NBA is unwatchable. NFL isn’t far behind
That's an understatement. I don't watch the NBA because of the idiotic flopping the players do throughout the game.
I stopped watching the NFL this year with the pathetic rule changes and inconsistent enforcement by the referees.
NHL has had their issues but nothing compared to the NFL, NBA and MLB. There have been some rule changes but nothing compared to the dumbing down the NFL has done.
Thursday's game is going to be a good one.
US hockey fans showing Canadians how it’s done.