Explaining 4 Nations Face-Off tiebreaker scenarios, who reaches final
The 4 Nations Face-Off is down to the final two games of the round robin.
The United States already has clinched a spot in the championship game, which will be played Thursday night at Boston’s TD Garden. Monday’s games in Boston will determine who will play the USA in the final.
Canada, Finland and Sweden are all tied with two points after two games. Canada and Finland play in the early game at 1 p.m. ET. Sweden and the United States will play Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
Here are the tiebreaker scenarios and how Monday’s games will determine the second team that will advance to the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game:
What is the tiebreaker for the 4 Nations Face-Off?
If two teams are tied in points at the end of the round robin, the lone tiebreaker is the head-to-head result between those teams.
What are the tiebreaker scenarios for Monday’s games?
Finland vs. Canada, 1 p.m. ET, TNT
In Canada wins in regulation, it would have five points. Because Canada beat Sweden in the opening game, it would hold the tiebreaker edge if Sweden wins in regulation and ends up with five points. Canada would advance to the final.
If Finland wins in regulation, it would have five points. Finland also beat Sweden in the round robin, so it would advance to the final.
If Finland or Canada wins in overtime, the winner would have four points and would have to await the result of the USA-Sweden game.
USA vs. Sweden, 8 p.m. ET, TNT
If Finland or Canada wins the early game in regulation, the night game is meaningless as far as the standings go.
If the Finland-Canada game goes to overtime, giving the winner four points, Sweden still has a chance to advance. If it beats the United States in regulation, it would have five points, enough to reach the final. But any other result by Sweden in the night game means the country would fall short and the Canada-Finland winner would go to the final.
4 Nations Face-Off format
Games will be played under NHL rules, with exceptions of standings points and overtime.
Teams get three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime/shootout win, one point for an overtime/shootout loss and zero points for a loss in regulation.
Overtimes involve 10 minutes of 3-on-3 sudden death in the round robin rather than the NHL’s five minutes. If it’s tied after 10 minutes, the game goes to a shootout.
During the championship game, overtime is like NHL playoff overtime: 5-on-5 hockey for 20-minute periods until a goal is scored.
4 Nations Face-Off schedule, TV, results
(Times p.m. ET)
Wednesday, Feb. 12: Canada 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Thursday, Feb. 13: USA 6, Finland 1
Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland 4, Sweden 3 (OT)
Saturday, Feb. 15: USA 3, Canada 1
Monday, Feb. 17: Finland vs. Canada at Boston, 1, TNT
Monday, Feb. 17: USA vs. Sweden at Boston, 8, TNT
Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 8, ESPN