NHL 4 Nations Face-off 2025: Updated Standings, Predictions After Canada vs. Sweden

Sidney Crosby assisted on three of Team Canada's four goals, including the game-winner to Mitch Marner in overtime, en route to a 4-3 OT victory over Sweden to begin the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off tournament on Wednesday in Montreal.

Crosby dropped the puck back to Marner, who scurried up the middle of the ice and flicked a wrister in the slot for the hard-fought win at 6:06 of OT.

This game had the making of a blowout early. Not only did Canada take a 2-0 first period lead, but Sweden didn't get a shot on goal over the first 15 minutes.

Sweden settled down in the second period and got on the board courtesy of Jonas Brodin, but Mark Stone got one back for Canada with 2:32 left in the frame.

Sweden dominated the third, though, out-shooting Canada 10-6 and scoring goals courtesy of Adrian Kempe (1:54) and Joel Eriksson Ek (8:59).

Marner was the hero in OT, though, giving two points to Canada. Sweden got one, though, for reaching the extra session.

Here's a look at the current standings, with the caveat that the United States and Finland won't debut until their game on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.

Standings

1. Canada: 2 points (0-1-0-0)

2. Sweden: 1 point (0-0-1-0)

3. United States: 0 points (0-0-0-0)

4. Finland: 0 points (0-0-0-0)

3 points: regulation win; 2 points: OT win; 1 points: OT loss; 0 points: regulation loss

Predicted Final Standings (RW, OTW, OTL, RL)

1. Canada: 7 points (1-2-0-0)

2. United States: 6 points (1-1-1-0)

3. Sweden: 5 points (1-0-2-0)

4. Finland: 0 points (0-0-0-3)

Predicted final: United States 4, Canada 3

Canada and the United States looked neck-and-neck to win this tournament before it began, with Sweden third and Finland fourth.

After Wednesday's game, the gap between Sweden and Canada looks far smaller than indicated. Although an OT loss is disappointing, stealing a point from Canada and getting one for itself when a regulation loss seemed like the end result here is a moral victory. That could be huge down the road.

At full strength and top form, Finland would be a formidable threat. It's not impossible for that to still happen, but overcoming the loss of star two-way defenseman Miro Heiskanen of the Dallas Stars, who is out with a knee injury, will be awfully difficult. Netminder Juuse Saros has been fantastic in the past, but there's also concerns about his current form (23 goals allowed in six games).

So this may be a three-team race. In that guess, give the edge to Canada playing at home, with wins over the United States and Finland to make the final. The United States can lay claim to being the most talented team on paper here, and that's the tip toward them making the final as well. Expect this to be a close contest, though.

That would set up Team USA and Team Canada in a final that would take place in Boston. The edge goes to the home team, then, in that potential 50-50 contest.