Auston Matthews gave a stern response when asked if Connor McDavid's winning goal at the 4 Nations Face-Off final haunted him

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Feb 25, 2025, 09:32 IST

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Connor McDavid's game-winning goal secured Canada’s victory in the 4 Nations Face-Off final against the USA. Despite Auston Matthews' strong performance with three points, the USA couldn't eclipse Canada. The match showcased intense competition, with both teams demonstrating near-equal skill levels.

Auston Matthews gave a stern response when asked if Connor McDavid's winning goal at the 4 Nations Face-Off final haunted him

Image via Getty Images

Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews have been credited with promoting the return of best-on-best hockey. As the No. 1 picks in the 2015 and 2016 NHL drafts, they were teased with a version of this during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. However, they had never played for their respective countries at true best-on-best. Auston Matthews responded to McDavid's game-winning goal in the 4 Nations final with some blunt words.

Auston Matthews on Connor McDavid’s winning goal at the 4 Nations Face-Off finals

Auston Matthews excelled in the 4 Nations Face-Off final, scoring three points and two assists. He played over 20 minutes per game and missed a deflection on McDavid's goal, which led to a 3-2 loss to Canada.

On Saturday, a reporter asked Auston Matthews if McDavid's goal haunted him to which Matthews simply replied, "Sure, Kevin." with a smile. Canada won their fourth consecutive international tournament with Connor McDavid's goal, while Matthews couldn't break up the play for the final goal.
"It's a great game. It's a great sport. And I hope we put on a good show these last couple days and gained some fans. Ultimately, you can't ask for a better show than that," Connor McDavid said after Canada's win.
Nathan MacKinnon scored the first goal in the game, followed by Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson. Sam Bennett tied the game 2-2. In overtime, McDavid scored the game-winner, and Jordan Binnington made 31 saves for Canada. USA defenseman Zach Werenski believes the team is close to Canada and believes they will win soon.
"It just makes us hungrier," Zach Werenski said, via NHL.com. "We know now that we're neck and neck with Canada. We expect to be in those games with them and expect to win. I think that's exciting for this group. It gives us a lot of confidence that our time is coming, our time is now. It's exciting.”
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Auston Matthews expressed pride in his team despite the loss to Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off final. Auston Matthews, who assisted on goals by Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson, will now focus on the season ahead as Maple Leafs captain.

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TOI Sports Desk

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