Team USA will go head-to-head with Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off final this week, creating a rematch of the recent intense game between the two North American nations.
During the last matchup, multiple fights broke out in a span of seconds.
The round-robin part of the tournament resulted in some injury setbacks for the Americans, with Brady Tkachuk exiting in the second period following a collision with Sweden’s Samuel Ersson in the crease.
Meanwhile, Auston Matthews and Charlie McAvoy were lineup scratches. McAvoy was taken to a hospital with what was described as an “upper-body injury,” the Boston Bruins, the defenseman’s NHL club, announced Tuesday.
EXCITEMENT BUILDS FOR US-CANADA 4 NATIONS FINAL AFTER RAUCOUS 1ST GAME
McAvoy is dealing with a possible infection that could have been caused by the injury, per a report from the Daily Faceoff. He is under the supervision of one of the Bruins’ doctors, the team said.
He was not on the ice on Monday. Team USA coach Mike Sullivan noted at the time that the defenseman was battling an “upper-body injury.”
McAvoy had been an active part of the Americans’ game plan leading up to the injury. He was on the ice for just under 20 minutes during Team USA’s victory over Finland on Feb. 13. He also registered 19:27 of playing time during the matchup with Canada this past weekend.
An “upper-body injury” appeared to prevent McAvoy from taking the ice in some games leading up to the tournament. He did, however, play in a Bruin’s game on Jan. 30. The 27-year-old underwent shoulder arthroscopic stabilization surgery in 2022, NBC reported.
Team USA is set to take on Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off final on Feb. 20.
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