Brad Marchand and Team Canada are set to face the USA tonight at the 4 Nations, and he broke his silence on all the emotions he's feeling leading up to it.
Canada and the United States are setting themselves up for an electrifying battle this evening in Montreal for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
An experienced, tough team, the United States thrashed Finland 6-1 Thursday evening in this tournament, back to the highest level of international play with NHL players, which is an appetizer course, for next year's Olympics in Italy.
Brady and Matthew Tkachuk paced the barrage with five points, showing Canada has an opponent it must respect.
Canada has one change it must make, out of need. Travis Sanheim takes over the defensive role for injured Shea Theodore, an upper-body injury suffered playing against Sweden.
The other team playing that match against the USA, Finland, plays the Swedes this afternoon. Up the middle, tough forward Sam Bennett takes over Travis Konecny's role and practiced yesterday alongside fellow agitator Brad Marchand.
Marchand says these will be memories for a lifetime
Marchand recently spoke about the 4 Nations tournament and what it means for him to be facing such a bitter rival like the USA.
"There's no bigger rivalry," Canadian forward Brad Marchand said. "They're the games that everybody dreams about playing growing up. "Memories that will last a lifetime."
Top defender Cale Makar (illness) did not skate, but head coach Jon Cooper says he's "confident" Makar plays. If Makar can't go, Canada has backup defender Thomas Harley.
The play moves Monday to Boston, with Canada playing Finland, and the United States playing the Swedes, setting the table for this Thursday's final.
Stars Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and United States captain Auston Matthews dreamed of this competition, an opportunity to finally play for their nations, representing them internationally.
Another chapter in this hot Canada-U.S. rivalry gets underway.
