4 Nations Face-Off rivalry doubleheader is 'what you dream of'

MONTREAL -- Dylan Larkin was talking about what makes the Canada-United States hockey rivalry so special.

He mentioned the history of it, games he watched as a kid such as the 2010 Olympic gold-medal game and New Year's Eve battles at the World Juniors. He brought up getting together as a family as if it were a holiday, every time treating a U.S.-Canada game as their Super Bowl.

Then, in that moment as he was speaking Friday, it was almost as if Larkin, the U.S. forward from Waterford, Michigan, realized where he was, and where he will soon be.

"To be able to be a part of it Saturday night in Montreal," Larkin said, "it's perfect."

Rivalry Saturday at the 4 Nations Face-Off is almost here and it has the makings of being an epic doubleheader at Bell Centre.

Sweden against Finland in the afternoon (1 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).

"Prime time at home, 7 o'clock game (in Sweden) and 8 o'clock in Finland," Sweden defenseman Victor Hedman said. "There are going to be millions of people watching that game."

United States against Canada in the evening (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).

"It's big, it's exciting," Canada forward Connor McDavid said. "Playing the Americans in Montreal, best-on-best tournament. It's what you dream of."

The United States leads the tournament with three points after a 6-1 win against Finland on Thursday. Canada has two points for its 4-3 overtime win against Sweden on Wednesday. Sweden has one point for the overtime loss. Finland has zero.

A U.S. regulation win will guarantee it a spot in the final at TD Garden in Boston on Thursday. A second regulation loss would eliminate Finland from contention to reach the final. There are other potential clinching scenarios at stake.

But all of that is part of the narrative that will matter at the end of the night.

The rivalries and everything they mean to the players and their nations carry the day.

"I love it," Hedman said.

Added Finland forward Anton Lundell, "You don't need extra motivation."

Said Canada's Brad Marchand, "There's no bigger rivalry than Canada-U.S. in hockey. They're the games that everybody dreams about playing growing up. They're memories that will last a lifetime. We're all really looking forward to it. Can't come quick enough."

When asked about the Finland-Sweden rivalry, Mikko Rantanen first brought up the 1995 IIHF World Championship. He wasn't even born yet when Finland won the gold medal, defeating Sweden 4-1 in the final.

"But I've seen videos of it, first championship gold medal for Team Finland," Rantanen said. "Then 2011 (World Championship) again against Sweden, both of them in the final."

There was also the gold-medal game in the 2006 Torino Olympics, won by Sweden.

"I didn't see the game, I was on a bus going to an away game, but obviously watching the replays, (Nicklas) Lidstrom's goal, Hank's (Henrik Lundqvist's) save with a minute left, those are memories that you're forever going to keep in your mind," Hedman said. "I played with (Antero) Niittymaki, who was in net (for Finland) in that game. You just knew how much it stung for him."

This Finland-Sweden game Saturday features six players, four Finns (Esa Lindell, Teuvo Teravainen, Artturi Lehkonen and Juuse Saros) and two Swedes (Filip Forsberg and Elias Lindholm), who also played in the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship final between Finland and Sweden.

Finland won it 3-2 in overtime. Teravainen had an assist on Rasmus Ristolainen's overtime goal.

"If you want to win against one opponent you want to win against Sweden for sure," Lundell said. "There's always been that between us."

For the U.S., the game represents a chance to knock Canada down a notch, to wobble the pedestal they've been standing on as the kings of best-on-best international hockey since Sidney Crosby's golden goal in overtime of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics gold-medal game.

Canada also won gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. The Canadians have won 26 consecutive international games with Crosby in the lineup.

The last time Canada lost a game with Crosby was to the United States in group play at the Olympics on Feb. 21, 2010.

"This is it," U.S. defenseman Charlie McAvoy said. "This is what you dream of. You get to do it in a stadium like this, in Bell Centre, in a hostile environment. I think that just adds a little extra element to it. We're all motivated and excited for tomorrow."

McAvoy played in the 2017 World Juniors gold-medal game against Canada at Bell Centre. The Americans rallied to win 5-4 on Troy Terry's shootout winner. It was a hostile environment. It was electric. It is one of his greatest hockey memories.

"It was the atmosphere that I'm expecting tomorrow," McAvoy said.

It's Rivalry Saturday at the 4 Nations Face-Off. It's for national pride, for bragging rights, and a step closer to international supremacy.

"It's about honoring the game," U.S. defenseman Noah Hanifin said. "It's a competition. It's something special to be a part of. You're representing your country and we want to come out on top. And may the best team win."