Team USA coach Mike Sullivan had some kind words for Jake Guentzel.
Team USA picked up a massive 3-1 win over Team Canada on Feb. 15. With this victory, they have officially qualified for the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game, which takes place on Feb. 20. Their opponent for that contest has not been determined yet.
Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Jake Guentzel was a massive reason for Team USA's win against Canada. The star winger scored the team's game-tying goal and then gave Team USA much-needed insurance by scoring the empty-netter to make it 3-1.
Following the game, Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan had some big praise for Guentzel, noting that he was not surprised by Guentzel's clutch play.
"Not surprised at all. I watched it firsthand for a lot of years," Sullivan said. "He's a high-stakes player. He plays his very best when it means the most, and I don't think there's a stage big enough for him. I just think he thrives in these types of environments. He's such a smart hockey player. He plays on both sides of the puck. I'm not surprised at all."
Sullivan undoubtedly knows Guentzel very well, as he was the Lightning star's coach during the entirety of his eight-year stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins. During his time in Pittsburgh, Guentzel had 219 goals and 466 points in 503 games. He also won the Stanley Cup as a rookie with Pittsburgh in 2017, where he had 13 goals and 21 points in 25 games.
Clearly, Sullivan knows how special of a player Guentzel is, and the Lightning are very lucky to have him now as a part of their core.
