Team USA in a position to crush Team Canada's dreams on Monday
Photo credit: Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press
Should Canada not beat Finland in regulation today, USA will have the opportunity to throw their game away and let Sweden win in regulation to advance to the finals.
The Four Nations Face-Off has been extremely successful for the NHL, offering great hockey to fans worldwide.
The games on Monday are among the most critical of the tournament, where Team Sweden is playing Team USA and Team Canada is playing Team Finland.
Because of how the format of the tournament is set up, each of the games has critical importance in reaching the final.
The destiny of reaching the final is in the hands of Canada and Finland, as either can advance by winning in regulation. But if overtime is reached, things can get messy.
An overtime win by either of the two leaves each of them with only four of nine possible tournament points, leaving doors of possibilities of advancing by Sweden wide open.
That leaves Sweden needing to defeat Team USA by regulation to advance to the final. But Team USA, knowing that it is clinching, can possibly set itself up by losing to Sweden to make its final matchup easier.
Canada holds the tiebreaker over Sweden
Here's a simplified breakdown of how each team can advance to the final today:
Team USA (6 points) - Have already secured the first spot in the final.
Team Canada (2 points) - A win in regulation puts them at 5 points and a spot in the final due to holding the tiebreaker over Team Sweden. A win in overtime gives them only 4 points and does not guarantee a spot in the final.
Team Finland (2 points) - A win in regulation puts them at 5 points and a spot in the final due to holding the tiebreaker over Team Sweden. A win in overtime gives them only 4 points and does not guarantee a spot in the final.
Team Sweden (2 points) - A win in regulation puts them at 5 points, but due to the tiebreakers they can only advance if Canada vs. Finland does not end in regulation time.
Team USA (6 points) - Have already secured the first spot in the final.
Team Canada (2 points) - A win in regulation puts them at 5 points and a spot in the final due to holding the tiebreaker over Team Sweden. A win in overtime gives them only 4 points and does not guarantee a spot in the final.
Team Finland (2 points) - A win in regulation puts them at 5 points and a spot in the final due to holding the tiebreaker over Team Sweden. A win in overtime gives them only 4 points and does not guarantee a spot in the final.
Team Sweden (2 points) - A win in regulation puts them at 5 points, but due to the tiebreakers they can only advance if Canada vs. Finland does not end in regulation time.
Though there is no possible chance that Team USA is likely to lose on purpose, the fact that there is that much of a chance makes it great to watch what is going to occur in Monday's games.
| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 17 | 321 ANSWERS Team USA in a position to crush Team Canada's dreams on Monday Who will face the US in the finals? | ||
| Canada | 294 | 91.6 % |
| Sweden | 9 | 2.8 % |
| Finland | 18 | 5.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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