The U.S. and Canada have met many times in international events featuring NHL players dating back to the 1976 Canada Cup. Canada holds a significant edge in those meetings, but the gap between the two countries has never felt slimmer.

As we head into the 4 Nations Face-Off final between the two countries, it gives us a chance to look back at all the previous iterations of NHL-involved international tournament.

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Looking back through the history books, Canada dominates the all-time series between the two teams when NHL players have been involved, but USA has shown signs of life. Still, Canada has won the most recent best-on-best Olympics and the last World Cup of Hockey. There's still a lot of work to be done.

Who Leads The All-Time Series Between Team USA and Canada In Best-On-Best Hockey Tournaments?

Canada’s all-time record against the U.S. in “best-on-best” hockey competition is 13-4-1 with two overtime wins in the mix and one tie. 

USA Vs. Canada All-Time Results In Best-On-Best Competitions

1976 Canada Cup

• Canada 4, USA 2

1981 Canada Cup

• Canada 8, USA 3 (Round-Robin)
• Canada 4, USA 1 (semifinals)

1984 Canada Cup

• Canada 4, USA 4

1987 Canada Cup

• Canada 3, USA 2

1991 Canada Cup

• Canada 6, USA 3
• Canada 4, USA 1 (Best-Of-3 Final)
• Canada 4, USA 2 (Best-Of-3 Final)

1996 World Cup of Hockey

• USA 5, Canada 3
• Canada 4, USA 3 OT (Best-of-3 Final Game 1)
• USA 5, Canada 2 (Best-of-3 Final Game 2)
• USA 5, Canada 2 (Best-of-3 Final Game 3)

1998 Winter Olympics

• Canada 4, USA 1

2002 Winter Olympics

• Canada 5, USA 2 (Gold-Medal Game)

2004 World Cup of Hockey

• Canada 2, USA 1

2010 Winter Olympics

• USA 5, Canada 3
• Canada 3, USA 2 OT (Gold-Medal Game)

2014 Winter Olympics

• Canada 1, USA 0 (semifinals)

2016 World Cup of Hockey

• Canada 4, USA 2

2025 4 Nations Face-Off

• USA 3, Canada 1
• USA Vs. Canada Championship Game

Memorable Moments In Best-On-Best USA-Canada Rivalry

From fairly modest beginnings to the iconic moments we've seen more recently.

1981 Canada Cup – Canada Beats USA In Semifinals

The first ever game of real consequence between USA and Canada, Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Bossy scored twice as Canada earned a 4-1 win. 

One of the fun quirks of this game is Tony Esposito was Team USA’s starting goalie. Esposito, who had represented Canada at the 1972 Summit Series playing four of the games against the Soviet Union, had become a U.S. citizen prior to the tournament.

Many of the players on Team USA’s roster were part of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team including Neal Broten, Steve Christoff, Mark Johnson, Dave Christian, Rob McClanahan, Bill Baker and Ken Morrow. Jim Craig was also on the team, but did not play.

Canada went on to the Canada Cup Final and was trounced by the Soviet Union, who were a little over a year removed from the Miracle on Ice disappointment.

1984 Canada Cup – USA Ties Canada

In the first three tries between USA and Canada, the U.S. lost. Heading into the third period, USA was down 4-2 and had been dominated by Canada in the second period. It didn’t look good.

Joe Mullen, the first American 500-goal scorer in the NHL, and Miracle on Ice alum Dave Christian each scored in the third period, while the U.S. controlled more of the play. Young goalie Tom Barrasso turned aside the six shots he saw in the frame and Team USA avoided another defeat.

Rod Langway, who scored earlier in the game, was the U.S. player of the game.

1991 Canada Cup Finals – Canada Sweeps USA

After USA dominated Finland and Canada shut out Sweden in the final, we got our first ever championship series between the U.S. and Canada in a best-on-best international tournament.

Canada won Game 1, 4-1 with goals from Eric Desjardins, Steve Larmer, Mark Messier and Brent Sutter. Meanwhile, Bill Randford stopped 27 of 28 shots to out-duel U.S. goalie Mike Richter, who stopped 33 of 37.

In Game 2, Canada jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to Messier and Larmer. The Americans answered back with a two-goal second period thanks to Jeremy Roenick on the power play and Kevin Miller.

Canada, however, owned the third period, with Larmer netting another and Dirk Graham sealing it with an empty-netter. Ranford once again came up big with 27 saves on 29 shots.

1996 World Cup of Hockey – USA Gets Its First Big Win

For many American hockey fans of a certain age, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey was a seminal moment. No one had ever seen the U.S. beat Canada in a best-on-best international competition. And the rosters in 1996 were absolutely loaded with Hall of Famers.

The first preliminary-round game between the two teams was wild from the start. USA set the tone early with Keith Tkachuk fighting Claude Lemieux and Bill Guerin fighting Keith Primeau in the first 20 seconds of the game. 

The Americans went on to win that game 5-3, the first victory for Team USA over Canada at a major NHL-involved international competition.

Everyone hoped for the rematch, and they almost didn’t get it. USA took care of Russia, but Canada needed two overtimes before Theo Fleury sent Canada to the final series.

Canada’s OT heroics continued in Game 1 of the finals. They beat the U.S. 4-3 in overtime with Steve Yzerman scoring the game-winner in Philadelphia, on U.S. ice.

In Montreal, the U.S. evened the series with a decisive 5-2 win propelled by John Leclair’s two goals and Mike Richter’s dominant performance in net with 35 saves.

Game 3 might be one of the best games in USA Hockey history as the game went back and forth and was very tight.

Brett Hull scored first, but Eric Lindros scored in the dying seconds of the second period to set up a spectacular third. Adam Foote made it 2-1 Canada midway through the period, but the final five minutes of the game belonged to the Americans.

Hull scored with 3:18 remaining in regulation to tie it. Less than a full minute later, Tony Amonte scored to put the Americans up 3-2 and steal away all the momentum.

Derian Hatcher added an empty net goal and Adam Deadmarsh added another for two more goals in the final minute of the game. USA won the tournament and for the first time ever, claimed a title from Canada in best-on-best.

2002 Olympics – Canada Wins First Gold In 50 Years

The 2002 Olympics was a stunning display of hockey. Canada had still been stinging from losing in the 1998 Olympic semifinals to the Czech Republic. That year marked 50 years since the last Canadian Olympic gold.

With Wayne Gretzky serving as Canada’s GM, Canada met USA once again in the final.

The Americans struck first with Tony Amonte, but Paul Kariya and Jerome Iginla gave Canada a 2-1 lead heading into the second.

Brian Rafalski scored in the second to even the game, but Joe Sakic put Canada back on top late in the period. Another goal from Iginla and the final nail in the coffin from Sakic, with Martin Brodeur shutting the door, gave Canada its first Olympic gold in 50 years.

2010 Olympics – Crosby’s Golden Moment

After the U.S. stunned Canada on home ice with a 5-3 win in the preliminary round, Canada vs. USA was the only way the Vancouver Olympics could end.

In what may have been one of, if not the best game in the series between the two countries, we got the most iconic moment of the rivalry.

Jonathan Toews, the 2010 Olympics MVP, got the scoring started in the first period. Corey Perry added some insurance in the second period, but USA’s Ryan Kesler got the Americans on the board a short time later.

The third period was extremely tense. Shots were hard to come by, with USA getting nine on net and Canada only seven. With U.S. goalie Ryan Miller pulled, Zach Parise scored the equalizer with just 25 seconds remaining in regulation.

That set the stage for a moment that lives in Canadian lore. Sidney Crosby, after shouting for the pass from Jerome Iginla, slipped a shot through Ryan Miller for the golden goal.

That photo of Crosby celebrating probably hangs in a lot of dens throughout Canada.

2025 4 Nations Face-Off: Gloves Off At The Face-Off

In a moment that will likely be talked about for years to come, the USA-Canada round robin matchup started with three fights in nine seconds.

USA vs. Canada started off in MADNESS 😳

📺: ABC/ESPN+/Disney+ pic.twitter.com/BrWlXzMb7J

— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2025

The first was Matthew Tkachuk vs. Brandon Hagel, then it was Brady Tkachuk vs. Sam Bennett in two absolute tussles. Then J.T. Miller dropped the gloves with Colton Parayko.

The U.S. went on to win the actual game, too, for their first best-on-best victory over Canada in 15 years.

How To Watch USA vs Canada Hockey Rematch In 4 Nations Final

The 4 Nations Face-Off final will be streaming on ESPN, ESPN+, SN, and TVAS on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET. FloHockey will be providing live updates and analysis throughout the week and during the game—so stay tuned for more and follow us on social media for the latest news.

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4 Nations Face-Off Schedule 2025

Monday, February 10

• Practice day

Tuesday, February 11

• Practice day

Wednesday, February 12

• Canada 4 - 3 Sweden

Thursday, February 13

• United States 6 - 1 Finland

Saturday, February 15

• Finland 4 - 3 Sweden 
• United States 3 - 1 Canada

Monday February 17

• Canada 5 - 3 Finland
• Sweden 2 - 1 United States

Thursday, February 20

• 8:00 p.m. ET - Championship Game (ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS)

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