Rise and shine (well, it's the afternoon, so you better be awake)! The 4 Nations Face-Off is upon us, with Canada taking on Sweden on Wednesday. The action kicks off at 5:00 PM PST at the Bell Centre on TNT. Hockey fans can also watch the game on TruTV and Max.
This is the event the NHL has built up for the past year. It's replacing the All-Star Game (for now) and pits four nations (hence the name) against each other. The four participants? The United States, Canada, Sweden, and Finland. The biggest names will also be participating in the event, including Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, and Jack Eichel.
Eichel isn't the only Vegas Golden Knights superstar participating in the global (okay, it's in North America, but still) festivities. Four teammates will join in on the fun. That consists of Shea Theodore, Noah Hanifin, Mark Stone, and Adin Hill. It's fitting that the Golden Knights get plenty of representation considering they're tied for first in the Pacific Division with the Edmonton Oilers with 72 points.
But this isn't going to be a one-day affair. No, this will go on for a week, where the competition lasts until Feb. 20. That's when the championship round happens with the two best nations facing off. So let's dive into the spectacle and get a complete breakdown. Want to know where to watch it? You're covered here. Want to see the big Canada/United States matchup? Look no further.
The big breakdown of the 4 Nations Face-Off
First, let's see the entire slate of games being played. That will include the time played along with when and where it's played. Also, you must know what channel to watch it on in the states since you can't miss out on appointment viewing for hockey!
Matchup | Date and Time | Venue | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
Canada vs. Sweden | Feb. 12 at 5:00 PM PST | Bell Centre | TNT/Tru TV/Max |
USA vs. Finland | Feb. 13 at 5:00 PM PST | Bell Centre | ESPN/ESPN+ |
Finland vs. Sweden | Feb. 15 at 10:00 AM PST | Bell Centre | ABC/ESPN+ |
USA vs. Canada | Feb. 15 at 5:00 PM PST | Bell Centre | ABC/ESPN+ |
Canada vs. Finland | Feb. 17 at 10:00 AM PST | TD Garden | TNT/Tru TV/Max |
USA vs. Sweden | Feb. 17 at 5:00 PM PST | TD Garden | TNT/Tru TV/Max |
Championship Game | Feb. 20 at 5:00 PM PST | TD Garden | ESPN/ESPN+ |
The tournament will be in a round-robin format, where the two best teams will square off in the championship round. Greg Wyshynski of ESPN laid out the possible scenarios in case there's a tie that must be settled.
Here are the tie-breaking scenarios for the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off, which might come in handy considering this is a short round-robin. pic.twitter.com/lWHeX13oeN
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) February 12, 2025
For a two-way tie, it's simple. The winner of the head-to-head result will get priority over the loser. Easy as pie. But what about a three-way tie? Well, that's where things get more complicated. The pecking order is as follows:
- Total points (three points for a regulation win, two points for an OT or shootout win, one point for an OT or shootout loss, and the lonely zero points for a regulation loss).
- Regulation wins
- ROW (combined regulation and OT wins, excluding shootouts)
- Goal differential
- Total goals scored
These steps are derived from all games played. But what about games between the two tied teams only?
- Goal differential
- Total goals scored
- Most even-strength goals for
- Fewest even-strength goals against
As you can see, the NHL has prepared for the worst-case scenario should things get chaotic. Overall, it'll be fun for Vegas Golden Knights fans (and hockey fans, in general) to watch their favorite players take the ice. It doesn't matter if it's Mark Stone or Jack Eichel. The only thing that matters is national pride and a star-studded affair (and staying healthy, can't forget that). Hopefully, it'll help them move on from that disastrous game against the Rangers.