Jordan Binnington saves game for Canada to deny US in 4 Nations overtime

Jordan Binnington saves game for Canada to deny US in 4 Nations overtime

BOSTON — All tournament, the talk up north has centered on Jordan Binnington.

Canada selected the wrong goaltenders.

Canada is starting the wrong goaltenders.

What a way to prove them wrong.

“That’s what sports are about in some ways,” Binnington said, a gold medal around his neck after 31 stops handed Canada victory over the United States in the 4 Nations final. “And as an athlete and a competitor, there’s always gonna be that doubt. You gotta use that as motivation and find a way and believe in yourself to get the job done.”

Connor McDavid, who scored the winner 8:18 into overtime that made it 3-2 for Canada, was a lot more direct.

“Binner’s a winner,” McDavid said. “That’s ultimately what it is. … He plays in big moments, the moment doesn’t get to him. He made three or four all-world saves in overtime to allow us to score the goal. All credit to him. Hopefully, some of those haters will back off him.”

Jordan Binnington celebrates after Canada’s overtime win over Team USA after the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off title game on Feb. 20, 2025 in Boston. Getty Images

In the same building where Binnington earned the signature win of his career in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, Thursday was one to match it.

And the hectic overtime sequence that saw Binnington make three consecutive jaw-dropping stops — two on Auston Matthews and a third on Brady Tkachuk — will be on Team Canada’s forever highlight reel.

JORDAN BINNINGTON STANDING ON HIS HEAD 😱 pic.twitter.com/450zpwwwOG— ESPN (@espn) February 21, 2025

“In those moments, I don’t even remember,” Binnington said. “That’s when you’re in the moment. I was just battling to try to do my job.”

Those were the chances Team USA was lamenting in a downtrodden postgame dressing room.

“He made some big saves at the right time,” a distraught Tkachuk said.

There might be a few Canadians with a better save percentage than Binnington this season, but Canada doesn’t win the 4 Nations without him, plain and simple.

Jordan Binnington makes a save on Jake Guentzel during the third period of Team USA’s 3-2 overtime loss to Canada in the Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Connor Hellebuyck outdueled him in Montreal, but that was a 2-1 game before an empty-net goal, and a number of great saves from Binnington were overshadowed by the bad goal he let up to Jake Guentzel.

That unleashed a torrent of criticism his way, and it would have been easy for coach Jon Cooper to turn to Adin Hill afterward.

He stuck with Binnington, and Canada reaped the reward.

Jordan Binnington made an unreal stop in overtime to deny the U.S. on Thursday night in the 4 Nations Face-Off. ESPN/X

For a lot of Thursday night, it was Hellebuyck putting Team USA on his back when Canada had the better looks.

But in sudden death, it was all Binnington, and afterward during the celebration, Cooper was talking in his ear, delivering one last message.

“I think just saying he was proud. Just enjoying the moment together,” Binnington said. “There’s a lot of noise in this game.”

For Binnington, now there is only silence.


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