Mitch Marner Shares Emptional Reaction To Setting Up McDavid's OT Winner for Team Canada
Photo credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
spoke with the media following Canada's thrilling win over Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, sharing his emotional reaction to his game-winning play.
Over the years, Mitch Marner has grown accustomed to one thing in Toronto: disappointment in big moments.
Seeing the second round of the playoffs just once in his NHL career, Marner knows what it's like to be on the wrong end of history. This time, however, he's on the right side of it -- and he played a pivotal role in Canada's win at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Marner addressed the media following Canada's big win on Thursday, revealing how it felt to be involved in the game-winning tally in overtime in Boston.
"It felt good, I can't lie. Yeah, I know it felt really good. Got to give big credit to Binnington though. I mean, got a couple of massive saves there in overtime that definitely could have ended the game. So yeah, it felt really good."
On top of his praise for Binnington, Marner also credited both Cale Makar and, of course, the game-winning goal scorer, McDavid.
In terms of what Marner will take away from this tournament, well, that's simple.
"Confidence. Belief, also in a way. I'll try to take this the rest of the season and moving forward."
Naturally, Marner had a tough time putting the emotional victory into words, but one thing we learned through this tournament is that Marner is very capable of experiencing some big game moments. How did Marner feel hoisting the 4 Nations Trophy? He said following the game that he was relieved.
"Relief in a way. A cool feeling. Obviously, you know, it's nothing. Well, I mean, it's something. It's something cool. It's something that, you know, we had to earn and work through and compete against the very high-end players. So it's a cool thing to be able to hoist that. And, you know, like I said, just try to take confidence out of this tournament going in back into Toronto."
Unfortunately, Marner winning the 4 Nations Face-Off with Canada meant that Auston Matthews suffered yet another heartbreaking loss. Marner was quick to praise Matthews' efforts.
"Man, he played a great game tonight. He's, I mean, what a warrior he was tonight again in this whole tournament. So, yeah, you know, it's always, like I spoke about before the tournament, it's always fun competing against him. He's such a competitor, such a great player. I'm very fortunate to be on his line and play with him a lot. I mean, I thought he was going to score on me when I was on the ice there, to be honest. And Binner made a hell of a save. And then, luckily enough, you know, like I said, I found Connor and he put it home."
There's no rest for the wicked, as Marner is now headed back to Toronto to prepare for a return to action against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. While he has already confirmed that he won't be rubbing it in with his U.S., Swedish and Finnish teammates, he'll be bringing the bragging rights home with him.
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