Canada and the United States are preparing for their highly anticipated rematch in the 4 Nations Face-Off final in Boston. Two of the U.S.’s injured forwards, Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk, returned to practice today after missing previous games due to injuries. It is expected that they will both play in the final, with Brady Tkachuk also likely to participate despite not practicing today.
In contrast, Charlie McAvoy remains hospitalized and will not be able to play in the final due to a shoulder injury. McAvoy underwent a procedure to address an infection and a significant injury to his AC joint, which he sustained during a previous game.
Quinn Hughes was initially considered as an emergency replacement for McAvoy but later clarified that he would not be traveling to Boston unless there was a real opportunity to play. The U.S. team is still working on bringing Hughes to Boston if the need arises.
Canada’s Cale Makar returned to the lineup after recovering from illness, but the team is still missing key players such as Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore due to injuries. Sidney Crosby has been performing well despite concerns about his health.
There have been tensions between the teams, with some players exchanging barbs and engaging in physical altercations. The U.S. general manager expressed the desire for President Trump to attend the upcoming game in Boston.