4 Nations Face-Off clinching scenarios for Feb. 17: How Canada can make the Final

Saturday's 4 Nations Face-Off matchup between Team USA and Team Canada at the Bell Centre in Montreal represented the biggest game of best-on-best hockey in quite some time. The atmosphere and beginning of the game proved just that.

Three fights in the first nine seconds kicked off the festivities, getting an already electric crowd that much more excited. When Connor McDavid scored a goal seemingly only McDavid could score by simply skating through the entire Team USA roster to put Team Canada in front, it felt as if the Canadians were going to run away with this one - they certainly had all of the momentum.

Team USA fought back, though, knotting the game at one by the time the first period wrapped up. Dylan Larkin put the Americans ahead in the second period, and Jake Guentzel put the game away with an empty-netter in the final moments of the third. An argument can be made that the Canadians had the better of the play for much of Saturday's game, but Connor Hellebuyck was awesome in net, and the Americans did enough to win the game in regulation. That regulation win not only gave them their first win over Canada in over a decade, but clinched their spot in the Final before even having to play their third round robin game.

As crushing as this loss was for the Canadians, their 4 Nations journey is not over yet. There's one clear path to the Canadians setting up a rematch against the Americans.

Despite their loss to the Americans on Saturday, the Canadians are still favored to make the 4 Nations Face-Off Final assuming they can take care of business against Finland on Monday. Canada scored two goals in the first five minutes of game action – and just 46 second apart – to send an early message.

4 Nations Face-Off clinching scenarios: Team Canada still alive after heartbreaking loss

The point system makes this tournament stick out outside the best-on-best matchup. A team fortunate enough to win in regulation earns three points. So far, Team USA is the only team to accomplish that feat, and they've done it twice. An overtime win earns the victors two points, and an overtime loss is one point.

Both Canada and Finland have earned overtime wins in this tournament with both teams defeating Sweden in the extra period. Both Canada and Finland also lost to the Americans in regulation. This means that Team USA has its spot in the Final, but the other three teams are knotted at two points apiece with one more game to go.

For Canada to get to the championship game, as Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff notes, they must earn a regulation win against Finland on Monday. They can still squeak in even with an overtime win on Monday, but that game going to the extra session opens the door for Sweden to punch its ticket with a regulation win over a Team USA squad with nothing to play for.

It's no secret that most of the world tuning into these 4 Nations Face-Off games would love to see a USA vs. Canada rematch in the championship game. Team USA did its part by clinching a spot in the Final, but the Canadians still have work to do. They'll be favored in Monday's matchup against Finland. Hopefully, they can find a way to get the job done.