“Honestly, not really,” Pastrnak said when asked if he cared about the outcome. “Like I said, it’s good for hockey that these two countries meet in the finals. I think every hockey fan has to be happy with it—there’s a lot coming up, you know. But for me personally, I couldn’t care less who is going to win. As a hockey fan, I enjoy watching these games, and I will watch on Thursday, but I really don’t care who will win.”
Historically, Canada has dominated in best-on-best international tournaments, winning nine out of 13. The United States has claimed just one such title, which came in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
Despite suffering a 2-1 loss to Sweden on Monday, the American team had already secured their spot in the final and used the game as an opportunity to rest key players, including Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk. Meanwhile, Canada earned their place in the championship with a 5-3 victory over Finland.
Although Pastrnak remains indifferent about the final outcome, fans can expect a thrilling contest between the two hockey powerhouses.
The excitement surrounding the game is shared by USA head coach Mike Sullivan, who emphasized the significance of the matchup for the sport. “That first game was such a great hockey game,” Sullivan said. “I think it’s great for hockey that there’s an opportunity for these two teams to meet again. Obviously, both teams have star power all around the lineup.”
The last time these two teams faced off, the United States secured a 3-1 victory in Montreal. That game was highly physical, starting with three fights within the first nine seconds.
American forward Jack Eichel likened the upcoming game to a decisive playoff battle, expecting both teams to leave everything on the ice. “It’s a Game 7, right?” Eichel said. “It’s for everything. You’re going to see desperate hockey. You’re going to see everything you saw in the first game and more, I imagine. It’ll be great.”
From the Canadian side, forward Nathan MacKinnon expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back. “We feel like we could beat those guys, and we plan on playing a little better Thursday,” he said.
As the two nations prepare for a fierce rematch at TD Garden, the excitement surrounding the championship game continues to build. Following the 4 Nations Face-Off, Pastrnak and the Bruins will return to NHL action against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.