MONTREAL — Canada’s highly skilled power play made its presence felt quickly during the 4 Nations Face-Off on Wednesday evening.
As Sweden’s William Nylander sat in the penalty box for high-sticking, Connor McDavid passed the puck to Sidney Crosby, who then delivered a no-look assist to Nathan MacKinnon. This play resulted in the tournament’s opening goal, scored just 12 seconds into the power play and 56 seconds into the game, a shot that left goaltender Filip Gustavsson with little chance to react.

MacKinnon expressed the emotions surrounding the moment, stating, “There’s a lot of talk about that first unit (and) a lot of nerves, honestly. I haven’t played best on best for Team Canada ever, so definitely a lot of adrenaline, a lot of nerves. It was nice to get an open net early, which definitely settled me in. Really great play by Connor and Sid.”

Coach Jon Cooper assembled an impressive unit featuring all NHL stars, including McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and Sam Reinhart, mixing playoff MVPs and Stanley Cup champions. The potential of this group was evident from their initial practice on Monday.

Crosby noted the high skill level within the team, saying, “Obviously a ton of talent, a ton of skill. Having to think and move quickly and that sort of thing — being instinctive while also being reactive to the plays that they make. I think that’s fun.”

Makar shared his enjoyment of observing his teammates’ talent unfold on the ice, highlighting the importance of maintaining an offensive threat. “We’ve got fast players that can move around the zone, but we’ve got to make sure we stay a threat,” Makar said. “For us, it’s cool. Obviously they can all interchange, but it’s a lot of fun watching those guys.”

This tournament marks the first instance of McDavid, Crosby, and MacKinnon joining forces on the international stage for Canada. Cooper, who regards the 1987 Canada Cup as the pinnacle of hockey displays, enthused about his roster, saying, “There’s just weapons all over the ice.”

McDavid, reflecting on their power-play success following a 4-3 overtime win, stated, “It’s really fun — really fun to know that everybody can think on the same level, can execute on the same level. We’ve worked hard at it over the two days of practice. Obviously, we had 10 seconds of power-play time, but we made it worthwhile. It’s a fun unit to be part of. There’s going to be a lot more work ahead, but it was a good start.”