Brady and Matthew Tkachuk came out hitting, started scoring and put together a display of brotherly dominance playing together for the first time on a big stage.
The Tkachuks each scored twice, flourishing after being put on the ice at the same time, and the United States beat Finland 6-1 on Thursday night night in each team’s opening game at the 4 Nations Face-Off, a physical showdown played with edge throughout.
“That’s the way we play, one of the reasons why we’re on the team,” said Matthew Tkachuk, a reigning Stanley Cup champion who finished with three points. “You don’t change your game. You play your identity. It’s up to us and the rest of the guys to play to your strengths. That’s one of them.”
Everyone was finishing checks, including Jack Eichel dumping Finnish captain Aleksander Barkov into the U.S. bench. Brady Tkachuk bowled over 6-foot-6 Niko Mikkola with one of his game-high eight hits, and Matthew Tkachuk gave Patrik Laine an earful before a faceoff as the Americans began to take over.
