4 Nations Focus: Mitch Marner vs. USA
Yes, really
Much-maligned Leafs star Mitch Marner flipped the script on Thursday night. Whereas the winger has often tilted the ice only to come up empty in the postseason, he largely struggled throughout the 4 Nations Face-Off only to produce his finest effort in the final.
Team Canada’s early counter to the Americans’ NZ blockade—an emphasis on point play + traffic—suited Marner’s (CAN 16) fondness for delaying up top to stack bodies in the slot:
Notice how well he gauges distance as the high forward. Buying time in a vulnerable spot is not for the faint of heart, but he has a knack for holding on to the puck just long enough to pull opponents into his orbit and provide his teammates with the space they require to test the opposition. Sometimes a speed differential to boot.
Marner’s line created several dangerous looks from the point (most notably a Brandon Hagel deflection that struck iron) via this basic approach.
Even on the counterattack, simplicity was central to the 27-year-old’s performance. He didn’t overcook his decisions or attempt many low-percentage plays vs. Team USA’s stout defense. He took what was given to him, and thanks to his sound two-way positioning, that included a few plus touches:
Support Hagel (CAN 38) above the puck as the F3 —> recovery —> one-touch pass to Anthony Cirelli (CAN 71) for a quick chance out of nowhere.
Late in the second period, another clever decision would tie the game:
Following Adam Fox’s (USA 23) head-man pass, Marner senses that Canada has a numbers advantage (4-on-3). This means he can afford to trail Brock Nelson (USA 29) in case a puck shakes free without compromising his club’s defensive posture.
Since Sam Bennett (CAN 9) does indeed halt the Americans’ progress along the boards, Marner grabs the loose biscuit and rolls downhill with plenty of room to operate. In the second replay, you can see him peek behind on entry to assess the situation. Not only are the guts of the ice available, but his north-south teammate (Bennett) has a step on Nelson. Coaxing Fox off the dot lane will allow the Panthers’ wrecking ball to skate onto it unimpeded. 2-2.
Head coach Jon Cooper was so pleased with Marner’s showing that he promoted the winger to Connor McDavid’s unit in the third frame. Interestingly, that’s when his bad habits resurfaced. Hesitancy, a handful of Hail Mary passes, etc. Barring an OZ scramble off a Jake Sanderson turnover, he, McDavid and Brayden Point struggled to mount a serious threat.
But in overtime, alongside the best player in the world, one mistake is all you need:
Cale Makar (CAN 8) scoops up the puck on the high wall and rims it to Marner. Auston Matthews (USA 34) then commits a rare defensive blunder, double-teaming his Leafs teammate (Fox’s man) in the corner instead of marking McDavid in the slot. Top cheese. Ballgame.
By reining in his worst impulses and biding his time, Toronto’s playoff scapegoat was handed every opportunity to deliver in white-knuckle moments. At long last, Marner rose to the occasion. That’s gotta feel good.
On the night, Marner posted the game-tying and game-winning primary assists as well as a +2 rating in 18:00 TOI.
Here are the full highlights: