It appears that New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider will be a healthy scratch for the second consecutive game as Team USA faces Canada at Bell Centre in Montreal on Saturday night in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Kreider did not play in Team USA’s 6-1 tournament-opening win against Finland on Thursday and was the extra forward during Saturday’s morning skate.
The veteran winger has struggled this season, recently dropping to the Rangers’ third line while dealing with persistent back issues that have sidelined him for eight games. After scoring 52, 36, and 39 goals over the past three seasons, he has managed just 16 goals and 20 points in 47 games.
Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan, who regularly faces Kreider in his role as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, remained noncommittal about lineup decisions. He declined to confirm whether Kreider or defenseman Jake Sanderson—who was also scratched in Game 1 and skated as the seventh defenseman Saturday—would play against Canada, stating only that his staff “always considers lineup changes.”
Before the tournament, Sullivan spoke with all his players about their roles, including Kreider, whom he addressed directly about sitting out.
“What I’ve tried to do is meet with a lot of players in these first three days and be very transparent and straightforward about our game plan and their role in helping the team win,” Sullivan said. “That’s an important responsibility as a head coach, and I take it seriously. I have too much respect for these guys not to have those conversations, and Kreids is one of them.”
Sullivan emphasized that while roles are defined early, tournament dynamics can evolve. “Sometimes what you envision on paper and what actually happens are two different things,” he noted. “As a coaching staff, our job is to set these guys up for success, and that process is ongoing.”
Kreider likely to be healthy scratch again for Team USA at 4 Nations
Kreider is one of four New York Rangers representing Team USA, but while he remains sidelined, the other three—defenseman Adam Fox and centers Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller—saw regular ice time in the team’s 6-1 win over Finland.
https://twitter.com/PR_NHL/status/1890800741482156113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1890800741482156113%7Ctwgr%5E92de95b6caa356240e339e5d64f22a603a68e900%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foreverblueshirts.com%2Fnew-york-rangers-news%2Frangers-forward-chris-kreider-likely-to-be-scratch-again-for-team-usa-at-4-nations%2F
Though none of the three recorded points in the victory, Miller contributed three hits and won six of ten face-offs, while Trocheck registered two hits and went 7-4 on draws. Fox had four shot attempts, including one on goal, recorded a hit, committed two giveaways, and took a minor penalty.
During the morning skate ahead of the showdown against Canada, Miller skated at left wing on the third line alongside center Dylan Larkin and right wing Matt Boldy. Trocheck centered the fourth line between Brock Nelson and Kyle Connor, while Fox was paired with Noah Hanifin on the second defensive unit and quarterbacked the second power-play unit.
Head coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged the magnitude of the matchup. “It’s a game everyone is excited about, and as coaches, we share that excitement with our players, staff, and of course the fans,” he said after the skate. “We know it will be an electric atmosphere inside the Bell Centre, and I know our players are very much looking forward to the game.”
Leave a Reply