USA vs. Canada 4 Nations Face-Off final ratings revealed

Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory over the United States in Thursday’s 4 Nations Face-Off final delivered big ratings on ESPN. Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal revealed that the game earned 9.3 million viewers.

The 4 Nations final earned more viewers than any NHL game ever. The top NHL game in history is 8.9 million viewers for Game 7 of the Bruins-Blues Stanley Cup Final in 2019. However, the 2010 Olympic gold medal game between the US and Canada still tops the charts with 27.6 million viewers for NBC.

The matchup between North American countries proved to be a winner for ESPN and the NHL, as their first meeting last Saturday averaged 4.4 million viewers. Viewership peaked with 5.2 million viewers in the 10:45 quarter hour. That game, a 3-1 U.S. victory, became the most-watched non-Stanley Cup Final hockey telecast since a Columbus Blue Jackets-Boston Bruins playoff game on NBC in 2019 that averaged 4.5 million.

The U.S. entered Thursday’s 4 Nations final favored over their northern neighbors, just five days removed from the convincing win at the Bell Centre in Montreal. They seemingly had the advantage of playing the final on home soil at the TD Garden in Boston. Much like that didn’t bother the Americans this past Saturday, the Canadians were undeterred in their pursuit of victory on Thursday.

Canada tops US in 4 Nations Face-Off final

Both teams were evenly matched through 60 minutes of regulation, calling for an NHL-style overtime to settle it with the game tied at two. 8:18 into overtime, the best player in the world finished it. Connor McDavid found himself wide open in the slot to accept a feed from Mitch Marner, roofing one far side past netminder Connor Hellebuyck.

In the 2010 Olympics final, it was Sidney Crosby who lifted Canada past the U.S. with an overtime goal. Thursday, nearly 15 years later, it was McDavid’s time.

“Really exciting. We just found the way,” McDavid said after the game. “I thought everyone played solid. I wasn’t great all night, but we just found a way tonight. Obviously, it means a lot to our group. I think a lot of people were wondering what this tournament would mean to guys, and obviously, you could see what it means to everyone on our side. It was really exciting.”

Canada has now won gold in six of the past seven best-on-best international tournaments. But the U.S. certainly proved the gap between the two countries has closed. With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy next February, the Americans are already looking forward to running it back.

“We’ve proved tonight and to everyone that we’re right there with Canada,” U.S. defenseman Zach Werenski said. “It’s anyone’s game. I feel like tonight we started off a little bit slow, but it came down to overtime and it came down to one shot. Ultimately, it was them that won it, but I feel like for us we should be excited in here. This group’s going to be around a long time together. We expect to win now.”