USA 4 Nations Rivalry Game Watch as the hotly anticipated tilt between Canada and the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off erupts on the first face-off, as three separate fights bre... Edmonton Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid is surrounded by talent on Team Canada.

In many ways, the poster children for the return of best-on-best hockey have long been Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. The No. 1 picks from the 2015 and 2016 NHL drafts, respectively, McDavid and Matthews were teased with a version of it as teammates on the made-up Team North America youth squad at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

In the midst of cross-warnings, Team Canada star Connor McDavid sent a strong statement ahead of the Four Nations Face-Off final against Matthew Tkachuk's Team USA.

Charlie McAvoy lined up Connor McDavid and delivered a textbook hit that sent the best hockey player in the world careening into the glass and down to the ice. A mere 19 seconds later, Jake Guentzel scored the tying goal — McDavid scored the first one — on the way to the United States beating Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off on

Just hours before the 4 Nations Face-Off final between Team Canada and Team USA, Canada forward Connor McDavid spoke with reporters about Thursday’s championship game, the level of competition he’s seen and finally having the opportunity to compete against the best players in the world on the international stage.

Connor McDavid played in the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, but it was with the 23-and-under Team North America, not Canada.