Auston Matthews Must Show Up for USA in 4 Nations Final

Auston Matthews isn't known for playing well in must-win games, but he'll need to change that trend for Team USA.

Feb 13, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team USA forward Auston Matthews (34) looks on against Team Finland in the first period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Eyes across the hockey world will be glued to their TVs when Team USA takes on Team Canada in a must-watch rematch for the 4 Nations Face-Off championship. The United States walked away surprise winners in their meeting during the round-robin game, but this time it's for all the marbles.

With so much on the line, Team USA is going to need a standout effort from a key player who typically fails to show up when the chips are down. Captain Auston Matthews has routinely under-performed in must-win games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and that can’t happen with Team USA.

Through his first eight seasons in the NHL, Matthews has helped lead the Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup Playoffs all eight years but has just one series win. Matthews has 55 postseason games under his belt with 23 goals and 25 assists for 48 total points.

Not terrible numbers, but what about the must-win games?

In 17 series-deciding games with the Maple Leafs, Matthews has six goals and seven assists for 13 total points. He has never scored in a winner-take-all Game 7 (or Game 5 for the 2020 Bubble Playoffs), and the Maple Leafs are 4-13 in series-deciding games.

While Matthews is one of the best players in the NHL, and routinely in the conversation as the best active goal scorer, he regularly fails to show up when it matters most. Only once has he put together a multi-point effort in a must-win postseason game, and that came during the 2020 bubble against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

In Game 4 against the Blue Jackets, Matthews scored a goal and two assists for three points. Matthews’ only multi-point game in a must-win situation, but the Maple Leafs went on to lose the series in the deciding fifth game. Matthews was held from the scoresheet in Game 5.

Team USA can’t afford to have Matthews fail to reach the scoresheet against Team Canada. In two games played through the round-robin stage, Matthews hasn’t scored a goal with just one assist in the blowout win over Team Finland.

Matthews missed the last round-robin game as a precaution to heal from a minor injury, but he’ll need to return to the ice with a vengeance.

Team Canada is entering the 4 Nations championship game looking for revenge after their first meeting. Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon aren’t going to be easy to handle. Team USA will need their stars to shine just as bright, if not brighter.

For Matthews, showing up in key situations has been a tough task up to this point of his career. He’ll need to kick that narrative against Canada, in Boston’s TD Garden, which has usually been a house of horrors for him and the Maple Leafs.

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