Big games rarely live up to the hype, but Saturday's matchup between Canada and the USA absolutely did.
Team USA advanced to the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off with a 3-1 win over Canada in what was an incredibly feisty and competitive affair. Both teams still have one game left to play in the round-robin portion of the tournament. With two regulation victories, the Americans already know they'll be playing for the championship. The opponent for the championship to be determined.
Since Saturday night was extra special, here are five takeaways from Team USA's big win:
Makar absent
Avalanche fans tuning in to see the best defenseman in the world did not get that opportunity.
Calgary's Cale Makar, who apparently played sick in Wednesday's game against Sweden, was not feeling well enough to play against the Americans. Multiple players have been battling an illness during this tournament, so Makar isn't alone. But it was a tough blow for Canada, who lost Shea Theodore to injury in the first game of the tournament.
Makar is listed as day-to-day. They're hopeful he can play Monday against Finland. His absence was very noticeable on Canada's defense.
Saturday night, fight night
It was bound to be an intense game, but three fights in the first 9 seconds exceeded expectations.
It started with Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel dropping the gloves 2 seconds in. Hagel is much smaller but didn't give Tkachuk an inch in the battle. Those two already aren't fans of each other, playing on rival Florida teams.
Just 1 second later, Matthew's brother, Brady, dropped the gloves with Sam Bennett, who happens to be Matthew's teammate in Florida. That fight didn't last nearly as long but kept the energy going.
Your daily report on everything sports in Colorado - covering the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and columns from Woody Paige and Paul Klee.
It was assumed the fighting was over because hockey was actually played for a total of 6 seconds. That wasn't the end of it, as J.T. Miller wanted a piece of someone. He drew the significantly larger Colton Parayko, who got the best of Miller, as you'd expect.
While the fighting was done for the night, the intensity never left. This game felt different from the start and was just as physical, if not more so, than an NHL playoff game. Matthew Tkachuk left the game in the third period and did not return, which will be something to monitor over the coming days.
Goaltending matters
USA's advantage over the tournament's field is in net. That was on display in this game.
Connor Hellebuyck is the best goalie in the game. Through two games, he's played really well. Team USA's defense also has done a nice job limiting chances for the opposition. When they allowed a good opportunity, Hellebuyck has been there to stop them.
Jordan Binnington wasn't bad, but the first goal he gave up was a killer as it snuck through his legs just a few minutes after Connor McDavid gave Canada the lead.
Slavin dominates
The best defenseman on the ice was Colorado's own Jaccob Slavin. The Colorado College product played over 25 minutes and has given the opposition nothing through two games. Devon Toews might have the best defensive stick in the world. If it's not him, it's Slavin.
The USA is outscoring the opposition 5-0 with Slavin on the ice. He's not a flashy guy, but he gets the job done.
MacKinnon quiet
After a goal in the first game of the tournament, Nathan MacKinnon was pretty quiet against the Americans. He finished with just one shot on goal in a little over 18 minutes of play. Canada's top six struggled to generate offense, which led to its coaching staff mixing things up in the third period. That didn't work, so it will be interesting to see what they do the rest of the tournament.
