Team Canada Makes Two Significant Announcements Ahead of Game Against Team USA

Team Canada's biggest weakness heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off was their goaltending and whether or not it could hold up against some of the more high-powered offenses.

Jordan Binnington was named the starter for their first game against Sweden and left a lot to be desired until his overtime heroics gave Canada a chance before Mitch Marner wired the game-winner blocker-side past Filip Gustavsson.

Despite how well he played in overtime, several pundits believed Canada should have given Adin Hill a chance against Team USA, however Jon Cooper is rolling it back with Binnington in arguably the biggest game of the tournament.

Sweden came on strong after coming out flat-footed in the first period as they fired 23 shots in the final 2 periods plus overtime. Binnington would assuredly want the first 2 goals back but he locked things down late in the game to regain some confidence from his coaching staff.

The biggest news still surrounds the status of defenseman Cale Makar who is now a game-time decision due to an illness. With Shea Theodore already ruled out for the entire tournament due to an injury, the Canadians could be short 2 of their top-6 defensemen.

Travis Sanheim, who was a healthy scratch against Sweden, took over for Theodore and was skating alongside Drew Doughty, while Thomas Harley is essentially waiting in the wings as an emergency replacement for Makar.

Harley was initially skating in Boston because the rules denoted that he could not be with the team unless there was an injury similar to Theodore's. However with Makar being a true game-time decision he was allowed to join the team in Montreal but is not allowed to skate with them.

With record-breaking viewerships across the first two games of the tournament, expect more of the same tonight when the two juggernauts of ice hockey go head to head.