Here are three keys to the game:
1. Makar's status
This is huge for Canada.
Makar, the Colorado Avalanche defenseman, is arguably the best blueliner in the NHL, among the favorites for the Norris Trophy as the League's best defenseman this season.
He changes Canada's game if he's able to play, especially the power play.
"Every new day he's a little bit better and trending in the right direction," Cooper said. "I can't speak for Cale. We speak regularly. We're on top of everything and I know if he can go he's going to go."
Makar said making the decision to sit out the game against the U.S. on Saturday was difficult, but he felt it was in the best interest of himself, the team, and what's to come for him and the Avalanche the rest of this season.
The same reasons will dictate the decision on if he's in or out Monday.
"It's a really hard decision, but it's definitely one that obviously everybody's looking forward to for the entire season," Makar said. "That was a hard one, but I've got to make sure I get it right and hopefully feel better for (Monday)."
2. Finns can't get caught in a track meet
Pennanen brought this up multiple times in his press conference Sunday. Some of the Finnish players also touched on the subject.
Canada is fast. Finland can't try to match Canada's speed. Finland has to find a way to dictate the pace of the game when it can and for however long it can, knowing full well it won't be able to do that for 60 minutes.
"I think it's going to be pretty similar to the game we played against USA," Pennanen said. "The main thing is of course we have to follow our system and stick with it, but still some moments we have to slow them a little bit. Tight units. Strong between the dots. Good defense overall."
Defenseman Henri Jokiharju said Finland can steal a page out of the U.S. playbook against Canada by being smart with dump-ins, aggressive on the forecheck, with good stick-on-puck defending and limiting odd-man rushes against.
The U.S. did all those things well against Canada, especially in the third period, which is why it was able to protect a 2-1 lead and build it to 3-1 with an empty-net goal.
"You've got to have all the time your F3 high and just make sure we don't give them any 3-on-2s, 4-on-2s," Jokiharju said. "That's really a key for the game. Just stick together and work really, really hard."
3. Start strong, and keep pushing
Canada has started strong in both of its games; opening first period leads of 2-0 lead against Sweden and 1-0 against the United States.
Sweden eventually found its legs, got it to 2-1 and came back from 3-1 down to force overtime.
The U.S. didn't let Canada build any momentum with Jake Guentzel scoring 2:23 after McDavid gave the Canadians a 1-0 lead.
Canada needs another strong start against Finland to try to take away some of the confidence the Finns have coming into the game. But another strong start won't matter if the Canadians can't maintain it.
"Our team cares," Cooper said. "When you have a team that cares I'm not going to be worried about our work ethic or anything like that. At the end of the game we just have to find a way to have one more than them."
