Brad Marchand has never been one to shy away from taking a shot at someone, and Thursday night was no different. After Team Canada defeated Team USA 3-2 in overtime at the TD Garden to claim the 4 Nations Championship, Marchand had a message for the Tkachuk brothers.
The game was decided 8:18 into overtime when Connor McDavid, the superstar forward from the Edmonton Oilers, scored the game-winning goal, avenging Canada’s 3-1 loss to Team USA during Round Robin play in Montreal last Saturday. The Tkachuk brothers, Matthew and Brady, had been vocal after that win, continuing to taunt their opponents ahead of the Championship Game. But Marchand, in his hometown arena, had the final word.
As the tournament kicked off, few expected the level of intensity that would unfold over eight days of hard-fought games. The Tkachuk brothers were at the heart of much of the trash talk throughout the tournament, and Marchand made sure to call them out after the win on Thursday.
“They play their game, they do what they do. But when you shoot your mouth off in the media, it can come back to bite you,” Marchand said. “They got a little ahead of themselves. When it’s best-on-best, it’s different, and you can’t always get away with that.”
Marchand acknowledged the brothers’ skill and impact on the game, praising their effectiveness and competitiveness, but also warned that trash talk can sometimes provide opponents with extra motivation.
“They’re great players, and not many guys play the way they do. They’re extremely effective,” Marchand continued. “But when you give teams ammo, it can work against you.”
Despite the taunting, Marchand recognized the potential for both brothers to have long and successful careers. Brady Tkachuk had a solid performance throughout the tournament, scoring the game-tying goal in the first period on Thursday and playing well despite an injury that sidelined him earlier in the week. Matthew Tkachuk, on the other hand, was hampered by injury, missing much of the tournament, including key portions of Thursday’s game.
Still, the Tkachuks’ vocal nature didn’t pay off this time around, and Canada, led by Marchand and McDavid, emerged victorious. In the end, Marchand and his team got the last laugh.
