"When the 4 Nations Face-Off ended last season, the look of frustration and disappointment on Auston Matthews' face summed up the stunning victory by Team Canada. The Americans had pushed the Canadians to the brink in a hard-fought game wrought with fisticuffs. In the end, the Americans took second place. Much of the finger-pointing was directed at Matthews. The American captain ended a subpar 4 Nations with just three assists."
"The criticism seemed justified. Matthews once again failed to step up in a big game, or so it seemed. Amid the poor offensive showing, Matthews' strong defensive play got lost. The criticism seemed to forget that the US beat Canada handily in their first meeting. And Matthews was a big reason why the American side didn't get lit up. Still, Matthews has spent much of the last year enduring scrutiny."
"The game featured the strongest opponent the US has faced until now. It was Matthews who powered the Americans to a crucial victory. The 5-1 final was possible thanks to an all-around effort, with Matthews' power play goal early in the second period being the game-winner. Matthews added one more in the third to leave zero doubt this was the United States' night. The victory clinched first place for the US in Group C and an all-important bye to the quarterfinals."
After a subpar 4 Nations with three assists, Matthews faced heavy criticism for limited offensive production despite notable defensive contributions. Coach Mike Sullivan named Matthews captain amid ongoing scrutiny. Matthews responded by scoring two goals and adding an assist in a 5-1 victory over Germany. A power-play goal early in the second period proved decisive, and a third-period tally removed any doubt about the result. The win secured first place in Group C and a bye to the quarterfinals. Matthews now ranks fifth in tournament scoring, with three goals giving him an edge among players tied at five points.
Read at Editor In Leaf
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