The result was the culmination of a midseason tournament that featured stars from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States — and a surprisingly political atmosphere.

With a win over Canada on Thursday night, Team USA would take home the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy and assert itself as the team to beat heading into the 2026 Olympics. The Americans already have one win over their rivals to the north, but making it two in a row will be a tall task.

Who cares about the a contrived hockey exhibition? The players do, and it’s their fight, more than their fights, that has us tuning in.