'Clutch' MacKinnon named MVP of 4 Nations Face-Off

BOSTON -- Social media was quickly abuzz after Canada defeated the United States 3-2 in overtime to win the 4 Nations Face-Off championship at TD Garden on Thursday. And one of the first photos to go viral was of Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid hugging one another after the epic win.

It was the perfect image considering the impact both players made for Canada.

McDavid scored the game-winning goal at 8:18 of overtime, and MacKinnon was named the tournament's most valuable player after leading all players with four goals in four games, including the opening goal of the championship. MacKinnon is the third Canadian player to average at least a goal per game in an NHL international tournament, joining Mario Lemieux (1987 Canada Cup) and Mike Bossy (1981 Canada Cup).

“It’s really clutch,” Canada captain Sidney Crosby said of MacKinnon’s performance. “In big moments he’s done that time and time again. He’s stepped up and he did it for us. Knowing him and what he puts into it, similar to Connor, I know what it means to him, so I’m happy for him to get rewarded and happy to see him have a great tournament. He deserves it.”

MacKinnon is the eighth player to win the MVP in an NHL international tournament, joining Bobby Orr, Vladislav Tretiak, John Tonelli, Wayne Gretzky, Mike Richter, Vincent Lecavalier and Crosby.

“It was fun,” MacKinnon said. “The 4 Nations kind of caught on fire. I’m sure everyone didn’t really know what to expect. There were questions about it being like an All-Star game, and people didn’t know the players’ mindset coming in, and rightfully so, but guys took this very seriously to represent your country.”

MacKinnon showcased his leadership both on and off the ice. When asked about his own performance during the 4 Nations Face-Off, he spoke instead about the team and described why and how Canada was able to get revenge on the United States after losing to them 3-1 in the round-robin.

“You talk about McDavid’s selflessness, MacKinnon was the same,” Canada coach Jon Cooper said. “They just had this attitude that it was all about the team. Nothing individual ever came out like: ‘Put me out there. Give me this moment.’ They just cheered for the guys who were in that moment, and then when you get your chance, he delivered. To see he and Sid and the chemistry they had and do the things they did, they’re just special players, and [MacKinnon] was one of them that it was all about winning. It didn’t matter what was going to be done, and I can’t say enough about him. When we needed him to deliver, he did and that’s what makes special players great.”

MacKinnon’s goal that gave Canada a 1-0 lead at 4:48 of the first period was a beauty. He skated around Brady Tkachuk and into the center of the zone before sending a wrist shot through traffic and past the blocker of Connor Hellebuyck.

Still, MacKinnon only wanted to talk about McDavid’s game-winner.

“Connor was very open, so that was nice,” MacKinnon said with a smile. “When he’s that open, it’s in the net. So, it’s very exciting. It feels good to be on top this time.”

Then MacKinnon turned his focus to goalie Jordan Binnington, who finished with 31 saves, including six huge stops in overtime.

“We all thought he would be amazing tonight,” MacKinnon said. “Even privately we were talking and expected a great game out of him, and we got one, so we’re very thankful for that.”

Now that the 4 Nations are over, though, MacKinnon is turning his focus to the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.

“This was very important,” MacKinnon said. “Even for a lot of young guys ... I think it’s really important just to be a part of this and get a feel for it. Definitely felt like a little kid coming into this tournament. I didn’t know what to expect, didn’t know where we fit in, so a year from now we’ll be a lot more comfortable for everybody.”