Tkachuk brothers, Matthews expected to play for United States in 4 Nations final

BOSTON -- When the puck drops on the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the United States will have its full complement of forwards, with Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk and Brady Tkachuk all expected to play against Canada at TD Garden on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, Disney+, SN, TVAS).

Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk were both held out of the U.S. game against Sweden on Monday, and Brady Tkachuk was injured in the first period and did not play the rest of the game. Brady was back on the ice for the United States' morning skate Thursday, but Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Chris Kreider and Jack Eichel were not.

Coach Mike Sullivan said the team is healthy with the exception of defenseman Charlie McAvoy, but that the roster would be a game-time decision.

McAvoy, the Boston Bruins defenseman, was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday after sustaining an injury to his right shoulder acromioclavicular joint in the game against Finland on Feb. 13. He was later diagnosed as having an infection in the shoulder and a "significant injury to his AC joint," according to a statement by Bruins head team physician Peter Asnis. McAvoy was released from the hospital on Thursday.

Having both Tkachuks and Matthews will be significant for the U.S. in the final.

"Brady and Matthew, first and foremost, are really good hockey players," Sullivan said Wednesday. "And they've been a big part of the success that we've enjoyed to this point in this tournament. I also think they have the ability through their personality to give our team a whole lot of confidence and swagger.

"I know what this tournament means to them personally and how important it is to put our best game on the ice. So I know they're excited to play. They're excited for this opportunity. It's an unbelievable opportunity. This is as good as it gets with respect to best-on-best."

Matthews, who did not play on Monday, said his upper-body injury popped up during the tournament, but that he was much improved. Sullivan referred to it as "upper-body soreness" earlier this week.

"Feeling a lot better," Matthews said. "A lot better. Just woke up Monday, just a lot of discomfort. Skating didn't feel very good, so just made a decision with the staff to hold me out for that game and just focus on feeling better. Definitely been making a lot of progress."

Matthews has dealt with an upper-body injury at times throughout this season, including taking a trip to Germany to address the issue, and has played in only 40 of the Toronto Maple Leafs' 55 games this season. He has 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists).

But this was something new.

"It was kind of just a weird thing," he said. "Like I said, it definitely has progressed well and I'm feeling much better. So I anticipate tomorrow will feel even better than I did today. And there's no way I was missing this game. I'll be ready to go."

It was the same thing Matthew said.

"I'm ready to go," he said. "It's going to be an incredible game. I'll be ready to go."

Brady's injury appears to have come at 5:12 of the first period against Sweden when the forward lost an edge and crashed into Sweden goalie Samuel Ersson's left leg and skate. The net was dislodged on the play. Tkachuk took a 10-second shift before heading to the dressing room, later coming out for a 14-second shift at 14:11, but that was his last of the night.

Sullivan said after the game that Brady had been held out of the rest of the game more for precautionary reasons.

"It was a weird play," Matthew said. "I didn't really know what happened, I still don't really know what happened, but I think he's saving everything he has for tomorrow night. I'm very confident he'll be at his absolute best."

It was Matthew and Brady Tkachuk who provided some of the fireworks in the first game against Canada, on Saturday, with each fighting as part of the three fights in nine seconds to open the game. Matthew started the fisticuffs with Brandon Hagel, with Brady fighting Matthew's Florida Panthers teammate Sam Bennett shortly thereafter.

"As I've said all along here, I think there's a mutual respect on both sides for how talented the teams are," Sullivan said. "I also think from our standpoint with respect to those two guys, there's a certain determination that those guys have to want to win."