Guentzel proving to be ‘high-stakes player’ for U.S. at 4 Nations Face-Off

Forward tied game against Canada in 1st period before sealing win with empty-net goal

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MONTREAL – Jake Guentzel raised his arms and pumped his fists after his shot sailed into Canada’s empty net.

The United States forward was there to score the game-tying goal in the first period of their 4 Nations Face-Off duel with Canada, so it only seemed fitting he was there to seal the 3-1 win.

“It’s the best time to play as a player. It’s pretty easy to get up for these games,” Guentzel said. “Yeah, if you’re not getting excited for this, you shouldn’t be playing right now so this is just a lot of fun.”

Indeed, there was plenty of motivation to play against Canada in Canada, with the entire Bell Centre crowd against Guentzel and his teammates. Guentzel’s work helped the U.S. clinch a berth in the tournament’s championship game, which will be at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday.

Guentzel also had a goal and an assist in the United States’ 6-1 win against Finland this past Thursday.

“Not surprised at all. I watched it firsthand for a lot of years,” said U.S. coach Mike Sullivan, who coached Guentzel with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2016-24.

“Jake is a high-stakes player. He plays his very best when it means the most and I don’t think there’s a stage big enough for him. He thrives in these types of environments. He’s such a smart hockey player. He plays on both sides of the puck. I’m not surprised at all.”

Guentzel shined when it mattered most for the Penguins, including 2016-17 when he had 21 points (13 goals, eight assists) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, helping Pittsburgh win the Stanley Cup.

He has eight career game-winning goals in the postseason, as well as 33 game-winners in the regular season.

But in his finest moment, Guentzel wasn’t taking a lot of credit.

“Yeah, I’m just obviously very fortunate to play on this stage and at this level,” he said. “Obviously playing with some superstar linemates (center Auston Matthews and right wing Jack Hughes) to make it easy on myself but just try to be at my best at this moment.”

Guentzel tied the game 1-1 at 10:15 when took a pass from Jack Eichel as he drove through the left circle and slipped a shot under Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington’s pads. The empty-net goal came with 1:19 remaining in regulation.

‘There’s no moment too big for him,” said forward Dylan Larkin, who passed to Guentzel for the empty-net goal. “It’s been so great, I never played with him before this tournament. To get the chance to know him, he’s such a nice guy, humble guy, such a great player.

“He gets talked about as a complementary player but he’s someone who, he drives and he goes to the net, he goes to the hard areas, plays the right way. When he gets the puck on his stick, he’s deadly like he’s showed the past two games.”

Guentzel came up big when the U.S. needed him most, but that’s just what he does.

“I think his whole career he’s scored those big goals,” U.S. forward Brady Tkachuk said. “His first one was a big goal just to tie it up, and he’s just so steady out there. He’s played all these big games so he’s so confident, so composed and I know for me just to be able to watch that, to see the composure, it’s well deserved. He came up big in a big moment again.”