During the 4 Nations Face-Off round-robin match on Feb. 15, in the opening seconds of the game, Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel engaged in a brawl that triggered a series of three fights within the first nine seconds. The U.S. got the better of Canada in that matchup, but Canada earned the more important win, defeating the U.S. 3-2 in overtime in the championship game at TD Garden in Boston. One year later, the U.S. and Canada are once again on a collision course, with even higher stakes as both nations are widely considered top contenders to win the gold medal at these Olympic Games.

The final NHL tilts before the Olympic break took place Thursday night. In the Battle of Florida between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, Tkachuk, who plays for the Panthers, and Hagel, who plays for the Lightning, showed they're ready for the upcoming Olympic competition as only they know how — they dropped the gloves. 

It's hard to imagine a scenario where the chippiness between the two players and countries does not carry over when they next meet on the international stage.

Canada has won the most Olympic gold medals in men’s ice hockey with nine, while the United States is tied for third with two, the last coming in 1980. Historically, Canada has often gotten the better of the U.S. in this rivalry, but it remains one of the most intense in sports. Rivalries at the NHL or NBA level are one thing, but when players represent their countries, the intensity and chippiness often reach a new level — something that was evident during the 4 Nations Face-Off, when three fights broke out in the opening nine seconds.

Olympic hockey is governed by International Ice Hockey Federation rules, rather than NHL rules, which allow fights with minimal penalties. Under IIHF regulations, fighting is strictly prohibited, with players subject to penalties and potential ejection. While brawls should not be expected at the Olympic Games, if the U.S. and Canada meet later in the tournament, the tension and physical edge will undoubtedly be present as players compete for their respective countries.

This year marks the first time NHL players have competed at the Winter Olympics since the 2014 Sochi Games. In 2018, concerns over insurance, scheduling disruptions and other issues led the NHL to withhold its players. In 2022, NHL players were again expected to participate, but COVID-19 disruptions to the league’s schedule forced the NHL to withdraw its players six weeks before the Games.

The NHL will pause throughout the duration of the Olympics, with the final games before the break played earlier this week, allowing players to join their national teams with roughly one week to prepare before the start of the men’s hockey tournament. Both the U.S. and Canada rosters are made up entirely of NHL players, creating familiarity that only adds to the intensity between the two contenders.

The U.S. opens its tournament against Latvia on Feb. 12 at 3:10 p.m. ET on USA Network. Canada also opens its tournament on Feb. 12 against Czechia at 10:40 a.m. ET on USA Network. The United States is grouped with Latvia, Germany and Denmark, while Canada and Czechia are grouped with Switzerland and France.