Nathan MacKinnon and Team Canada strike first at 4 Nations Face-Off

Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon got Team Canada on the board early in their opening match against Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off. The Canadian squad got an early power play opportunity as a high stick from William Nylander clipped MacKinnon in the visor.

The call put Canada on the power play, bringing one of the most lethal power plays ever assembled on the ice. Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Cale Makar, Sam Reinhart, and MacKinnon wasted no time in making the Swedes pay, getting a quick tally.

Here’s a look at the goal:

The no-look, behind-the-back pass from Crosby was right on the tape as no one picked up MacKinnon creeping up on the right side. He promptly buried the puck in the wide-open cage past Swedish netminder Filip Gustavsson.

While the Swedes settled down after that, the first period momentum swung predominantly in Team Canada’s favor. The Swedish side had trouble generating offense in the opening frame, as it seemed the period was entirely dominated by Canada.

With a star-studded lineup, Team Canada is expected to contend for the 4 Nations Face-Off title. But with plenty of hockey to be played, anything can happen in such a short tournament.

Makar shines in Team Canada 4 Nations Face-Off opener win

Nathan MacKinnon’s Colorado Avalanche teammate Cale Makar shined in the win against Team Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off opener. While Makar didn’t get on the scoresheet, he was a crucial factor in Team Canada’s win.

Makar played over 28 minutes on the night after the Canadian side was left with five defensemen. Shea Theodore left the game in the first period after playing nearly seven minutes. According to ESPN, Theodore suffered an injury to his right arm and will not return to the 4 Nations.

That injury put Canada in a tough spot as Makar and defense partner Devon Toews had to pick up the slack. Toews played nearly 26 minutes with other blueliners like Josh Morrisey and Colton Parayko logging 23 minutes on the night.

As for Makar, he played a solid game defensively while contributing offensively, generating scoring chances throughout the game. He will need to be rested and ready to go for Canada’s next game as the Canadian squad takes on the US at the Bell Centre before the 4 Nations moves to Boston for the next round of games.

Travis Sanheim of the Philadelphia Flyers will take Theodore’s spot on the Canadian blue line. It remains to be seen if Team Canada brings in another player to cover the seventh defenseman spot now that Theodore is officially out of the tournament.

Several names were rumored as not making the final cut including Calgary Flames MacKenzie Weegar, Edmonton Oilers Evan Bouchard, and Toronto Maple Leafs Chris Tanev. Canada doesn’t have much time to decide on a replacement as the team will need to bring another player aboard as soon as possible ahead of their next game on Saturday night.