Strap On Your Helmets: USA and Canada Go At It Again Tonight in Boston

Posted on: February 20, 2025, 10:59h. 

Last updated on: February 20, 2025, 12:44h.

Mark Keast Read More
Expertise: Canadian Gaming, iGaming, Las Vegas, Sports Betting, NFL, Boxing, UFC.
  • Sportsbooks expect five times the betting volume for 4 Nations Face-Off final compared to NBA
  • Key injuries impact betting lines – USA favorites at -120
  • No Trump in attendance

The fabulous showcase that has been the 4 Nations Face-Off wraps up Thursday evening in Boston with USA versus Canada in the final game, a rematch from the fireworks in Montreal on Saturday night.

Sportsbooks said they expect five times the betting volume for tonight’s USA-Canada final in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament compared to NBA All-Star Weekend. (Image: NHL.com)

Will US Fans Boo the Canadian Anthem Tonight?

That was the game in which the crowd of unruly Canucks, pissed off about the current political and trade tensions between the two nations, booed the American national anthem, firing up the US side, leading to three fights in the first nine seconds of the contest. USA won the game 3-1.

Will US fans return the favor tonight in Boston?

The inaugural best-on-best tournament has been a smashing success for the NHL and its players, taking hockey across the borders into terrain where one typically wouldn’t find hockey fans. Saturday’s game averaged 4.4 million viewers, according to ESPN. The series has been buzzing over social media and across national TV news broadcasts in the US.

Key Injuries

Defenseman Charlie McAvoy is out of the lineup for the US after suffering a serious shoulder injury. McAvoy rocked Canada superstar Connor McDavid with two open ice hits on Saturday that caught everyone’s attention. Cale Makar, who missed Saturday’s game with the flue, is in for Canada. Makar is one of the game’s best defensemen, so advantage Canada in the injury department.

What’s emerged in the 4 Nations Face-Off is the new No. 1 hockey rivalry. The excellence of the American team is the result of streams of high-end talent that have been flowing out of US developmental programs for a decade. Canada, as the top hockey nation, used to look at Russia as the No. 1 rivalry, going back to the Summit Series in 1972. That’s over.

Russia has been replaced by the mighty Americans.

Sportsbooks Chomping at the Bit

Sportsbooks, of course, aren’t going to sleep on a great opportunity to cash in.

BetVictor issued a statement on Thursday talking about 4 Nations punters beating the bookies thanks to McDavid in Canada’s 5-3 win over Finland Monday that got them to tonight’s game. McDavid was handed an 11/1 (+1100) Bet Boost in the First to Score market, and that came in the first four minutes of the game.

The US are the odds-on (-120) favorite for tonight, with Canada priced at -115.

“The 4 Nations has really caught the public mood ahead of Canada’s final against the United States tomorrow night,” said Sam Boswell, spokesperson of BetVictor Canada. “Ever since the American anthem was booed in Montreal on Saturday, the tournament has gone far beyond the attention of traditional ice hockey fans – with national pride now at stake.”

Betting Odds Even Steven

Boswell said BetVictor is counting its losses after Canada’s win over Finland, with the 11/1 (+1100) First to Score Bet Boost for Connor McDavid “costing us dearly.”

For Thursday’s clash in Boston, we make the United States the slight favorites – with a 54.5% chance of success – and Canada the likely losers, following their 3-1 reverse in the first fixture between the two heavyweights,” Boswell said.

The poor NBA has been skewered on social media for an All-Star Weekend that reportedly drew an all-time low in ratings. 

Sportsbooks have noted the differences between the NHL tournament and the NBA’s all-star weekend on the betting volume front.

NBA All-Star Weekend Hammered in Ratings

“By the end of the 4 Nations, we expect it to be at least 4x to 5x of what NBA All-Star did,” said a PointsBet Canada trader.

For the tournament, we have been getting turnover per event that is about equal to a top turnover NHL game. The exception is the first Canada versus USA game, which garnered about 5x a normal NHL game. The 4 Nations has gotten about three times NBA All Star Weekend already, and that’s still with the final to go.”

At BetMGM, the current money line is -110 for both teams, with action pretty even – 48% of the handle is on Canada and 52% is on the USA.

“We expect the USA-Canada final to be the most bet hockey game of the year. Canada winning would be a good outcome for the sportsbook,” said BetMGM Senior Trading Manager Christian Cipollini.

No Trump at Tonight’s Game

There had been some chatter about US President Donald Trump being in attendance for tonight’s game, with Team USA general manager Bill Guerin going on Fox News to welcome that possibility.

Trump posted about the game on Truth Social this morning:

“I’ll be calling our GREAT American Hockey Team this morning to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada, which with FAR LOWER TAXES AND MUCH STRONGER SECURITY will someday, maybe soon, become our cherished, and very important, Fifty First State. I will be speaking before the Governors tonight D.C., and will sadly, therefore, be unable to attend. But we will all be watching, and if Governor Trudeau would like to join us, he would be most welcome. Good luck to everybody, and have a GREAT game tonight. So exciting!”