4 Nations Face-Off Cracks the Code on All Star Hockey

It's the All-Star Break we needed. The best of the best from Finland, Sweden, Canada and the United States have been lacing up their skates to compete in the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off.

Fans may have been skeptical at first, the tournament replaced the annual All Star Weekend where top talent would take part in skills competitions and games. Even the mascots got involved in the fun with special meet and greet opportunities, dance battles and more.

All Star Games Have Lost Their Steam

As fun as it sounds, one thing that was lacking was the intensity. You find this a lot with All Star games whether its NBA, NFL Pro Bowl, etc. It makes sense. This break takes place more than halfway through the season and for many athletes, they don't want to risk injury.

Maybe they want to use the break as an actual break and take a vacation with their family. Regardless, you can see how the play changes: no checking, no fights, just going through the motions. A fun way to see your favorites all in one place, but probably not the most exciting games.

4 Nations Face-Off Cracks the Code

The NHL 4 Nations Face-Off is the exact opposite. I cannot stress this enough. It has an Olympic feel. The athletes are playing with tenacity, heart and pride for their country.

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The first matchup we saw between United States and Canada featured three fights. Not in total. Three in the first 9 seconds! Insane. You can imagine the uproar of the crowd as this long-standing rivalry came out swinging, literally.

Tournament Rules and Outcome

The round-robin tournament began with play in Montreal with the four teams competing in the first four games of a 6-game round robin. Points were awarded as such:

3 points for a win in regulation
2 points for a win in overtime or shootout
1 point for a loss in overtime or shootout
0 points awarded for a loss in regulation

United States secured their spot in the Championship with two wins in regulation in Montreal before the action headed to Boston. On Monday, USA took on Sweden, though the outcome wouldn't affect the standings.

However, the game prior between Canada and Finland had a lot on the line. Canada captured the win to earn their spot against United States in the championship.

This is a rivalry that goes back for generations. It's a can't miss game and fans are paying top dollar to be there. StubHub has tickets going for up to $3,000.

The 4 Nations Face-Off Championship is sure to be non-stop from puck drop to the final horn.

Catch the action tonight at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes and Disney+.