The entire hockey world is gearing up for the rematch between Canada and the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Their first meeting was pure chaos, as three fights erupted in the first nine seconds. The Tkachuk brothers were at the center of the drama, but heading into the gold medal game, Tampa Bay Lightning forward and eager combatant Brandon Hagel isn't focused on getting in another fight.
Instead, the Lightning forward sent shots at the Tkachuk brothers and Team USA ahead of their rematch. According to Hagel, Canada doesn't need to initiate any trouble in this contest because they are solely focused on playing for their country.
"We're out there playing for a flag, not the cameras," he said. "That's the part of Canada we have."
Patriotism has been a huge piece of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Each player participating takes great pride in representing their home country and the competition that comes with it. That alone is enough motivation for Hagel and his teammates, so they won't need to focus on retribution or revenge when they meet the United States once more.
"We don't need to initiate anything," he said. "We don't need any group chats going on. We're going out there playing our game, giving it everything and, like I said, doing it for our country. We're just going to play as hard as we can and do it for the flag."
The United States won the first matchup by a final score of 3-1. Team USA outplayed Canada across the board. The shots were about equal, but the United States recorded more hits and won the face-off battle. In order for Canada to win the rematch, they must close the gap in these areas. The offensive skill on both teams is so overwhelming that the only way to achieve victory is to win those small details and battles. It seems Hagel and the rest of his Team Canada teammates are ready to do just that against the United States.
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Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.
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