Mitch Marner is a 4 Nations Face-Off Champion 🏆
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Mitch Marner reflects on setting up Connor McDavid’s golden goal and hoisting the trophy
Photo credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Feb 21, 2025, 10:40 EST
Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner silenced his critics with an excellent performance for Canada, setting up Connor McDavid’s golden goal against the United States. McDavid roofed the overtime winner on a pass from Marner to secure a 3-2 victory in the most anticipated men’s hockey game in a decade.
“Yeah, I mean, you know, it was great. I think, you know, great vision by Cale first off, seeing me all the way down in the far corner and then kind of rimmed around, just handled it quickly. Tried to just kind of get up the ice quickly and find Connor in the slot there and he did the rest,” Marner said post-game, of what he saw during the winning goal.
Marner finished with two primary assists and was relied on to play a number of different roles throughout the contest. He started the game on a shutdown line alongside Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, then was promoted to Canada’s first line featuring McDavid and Point, where he tapped into the full arsenal of his playmaking abilities.
During the second period, trailing 2-1, Marner set up Sam Bennett off the rush, twisting through the offensive zone to create a clear lane, and Bennett made no mistake bearing down on Hellebuyck to tie the game. Marner froze Adam Fox with his change of direction, to allow Bennett to walk in cleanly.
This is quite easily the greatest win of Marner’s career, and he shared his reflections on hoisting the trophy.
“Relief in a way,” Marner said. “A cool feeling. Obviously, you know, it’s nothing. Well, I mean, it’s something. It’s something cool. It’s something that, you know, we had to earn and work through and compete against the very high-end players. So it’s a cool thing to be able to hoist that. And, you know, like I said, just try to take confidence out of this tournament going in back into Toronto.”
Marner erased some unfair narratives about his play in the clutch, he was terrific both as a shutdown winger, and top-line playmaker, and his assist on McDavid’s golden goal will be etched into Canadian history forever. It was an outstanding performance for the Maple Leafs’ star and could be the catalyst for an extended run this spring.
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