The most-watched game of the NHL season didn't count in the standings
![Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates his goal against Team Finland in the third period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3133,h_1762,x_775,y_54/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images%2FImagnImages%2Fmmsport%2Fthebiglead_en_international_web%2F01jm5t4z766w9hxqnfyr.jpg "Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates his goal against Team Finland in the third period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images")
Thursday’s United States-Finland NHL Four Nations Face-Off game averaged a .75 rating and 1.55 million viewers on ESPN, according to Sports Media Watch. That makes it easily the largest audience of any NHL-affiliated game in 2024-25.
That distinction won't last long. The USA is playing Canada on Saturday, a game that will air domestically on ABC and ESPN+, with SportsNet carrying the game north of the border. Its total audience is sure to exceed Thursday's game, in which the U.S. defeated Finland 6-1.
It helped that the two countries had the night all to themselves. In lieu of a traditional All-Star Game, the NHL is blocking off this week and next for some of the league's best players to wear their home nation's colors. The championship game is Feb. 21, and Saturday's U.S.-Canada game could offer a preview.
Canada beat Sweden 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday.
The U.S. and Canada have a longstanding hockey rivalry that renews every year in the World Juniors and, on occasion, in the Winter Olympics. The Four Nations Cup isn't a perfect approximation of those tournaments — the best Russian players in the league aren't participating — but it's the best hockey on TV until the Stanley Cup playoffs.
For now, it's the only hockey on TV, and it's generating plenty of buzz. Especially the U.S.-Canada matchup.
"Feeling a little nervous," popular analyst Paul Bissonette, the former NHL enforcer, wrote on Twitter/X on Saturday. "Talked to (longtime NHL defenseman Kevin Bieksa) last night and he mentioned this being a game you may have wanted Tom Wilson on the roster. Feel it was a big opportunity to balance the mutants out. USA has some mutants. I think things will get ugly tonight. USA is going to try and pound Canada into the ground. Pietrangelo also a gut punching loss. He’s a mutant. And can handle Tkachuck’s. What’s everyone thinking???"
Canada has the edge on USA in high end skill. But USA brought the dogs to this tournament. Assuming the back end for Canada can stay healthy ie. Makar I think they win a close one. If not the USA will grind on them and make them pay a price, wear them down and win it in the 3rd
— Chris Pronger (@chrispronger) February 15, 2025
Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Pronger chimed in with a delightfully organic two cents: "Canada has the edge on USA in high end skill. But USA brought the dogs to this tournament. Assuming the back end for Canada can stay healthy ie. Makar I think they win a close one. If not the USA will grind on them and make them pay a price, wear them down and win it in the 3rd."
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