As 4 Nations tourney flourishes, the Gophers’ Bob Motzko, Jimmy Snuggerud still get chills

On Saturday night, the charter flight home from Michigan for the Gophers men’s hockey team was delayed, forcing players and coaches to spend a couple of hours waiting at Yost Ice Arena. They made the most of that time by watching the United States’ stirring 3-1 victory over Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off that featured three fights in the opening nine seconds.

“It’s been awesome,” Gophers coach Bob Motzko said of the tournament that started in a super-charged atmosphere in Montreal. “All of us that are just big believers and backers of USA Hockey, what that team is doing with a lot of heart and character … it sets up for another classic U.S.-Canada game."

The United States and Canada will play for the 4 Nations Face-Off championship on Thursday (7 p.m., ESPN), and Motzko and several of his players can relate to the spectacle that will be on display in Boston because they’ve lived the border rivalry at the World Junior Championship.

“It’s so intense,” said Gophers forward Jimmy Snuggerud, who helped Team USA win a gold medal in the 2024 world juniors and a bronze in the 2023 tournament. “My first World Juniors was in Halifax. It was absurd — the amount of Canadian fans that were there. It was one of the loudest rinks I’ve played in. It’s a whole ’nother level of intensity."

Twice, Motzko has been Team USA’s head coach in the world juniors, which features the best under-20 players in the world. His 2017 squad won the gold medal, and his 2018 team took the bronze. When it came to preparing his team to face the Canadians, Motzko kept things simple in the pregame routine.

“Well, it’s great for a coach because you don’t say a word,” he said. “You’re just going to open the door because the intensity in that rivalry right now, from both teams. … You’re staring down the gantlet and you’re going to get after it. Buckle up and hang on."

Motzko was not at all surprised when brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, followed by J.T. Miller, dropped the gloves with the Canadians to open Saturday’s game. He coached Brady Tkachuk in the 2018 world juniors.

“You know the dad. Anybody follow the ’96 team?” Motzko said, pointing to Keith Tkachuk’s fight with Canada’s Claude Lemieux 20 seconds into a 1996 World Cup matchup. “Those two sons are a chip off the old block. You know what’s coming.”

On Thursday, Team USA will try to repeat the feat that Motzko’s 2017 team did: beat Canada in both pool play and the final to win gold. Their hope is to hear Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” Team USA’s in-arena goal-celebration song, played repeatedly.

“It’s so cool. You’re fighting for your country out there at a certain aspect,” said Snuggerud, who had five goals and three assists in the 2024 world juniors. “… On our team, there’s a little fight between us Americans and [Canadians] Liam Souliere and [Matthew Wood] about it. … Everything about it is just so fun. You take it all in. You enjoy the moments. It’s the best hockey."

Here’s a look at this week’s projection using current conference leaders to fill automatic bids and the PairWise Ratings to fill at-large spots. Regionals are March 27-30, and the Frozen Four is April 10-12 in St. Louis.

Manchester, N.H., Regional

1. Boston College vs. 16. Holy Cross

8. Providence vs. 12. Michigan

Toledo, Ohio, Regional

2. Michigan State vs. 13. UMass

6. Ohio State vs. 11. UMass-Lowell

Fargo, N.D., Regional

3. Gophers vs. 15. Minnesota State Mankato

7. Boston University vs. 10. Denver

Allentown, Pa., Regional

4. Maine vs. 11. Quinnipiac

5. Western Michigan vs. 14. Quinnipiac

Comment: To avoid a first-round intraconference matchup, Maine and UMass are broken up in a three-way move in the fourth seed band. No. 13 UMass moves from Allentown to Toledo, replacing No. 15 Minnesota State. The Mavericks move to Fargo, replacing No. 14 Quinnipiac, which moves to Allentown. Moving Minnesota State also helps attendance in Fargo.

Another first-round intraconference matchup to break up is Providence vs. Connecticut in Manchester, N.H. That’s done by moving No. 12 Michigan to Manchester and No. 9 UConn to Allentown.

To improve attendance in Toledo, the Ohio State-Lowell matchup moves from Fargo to Toledo, and the Boston U.-Denver matchup moves to Fargo.

Last two at-large teams in: No. 11 UMass-Lowell, No. 12 Michigan.

First two at-large out: No. 15 Arizona State, No. 16 Penn State.