MONTREAL — During the United States’ 4 Nations Face-Off victory over Canada on Saturday evening, Matthew Tkachuk had to leave the game due to what head coach Mike Sullivan referred to as a lower-body injury.

While the final score was 3-1 in favor of the U.S., not much additional information was provided regarding Tkachuk’s condition.

“He is currently being assessed by our medical team,” Sullivan stated. “That’s all I can share at this moment. We will make decisions that are in the best interest of Matthew and our team. Right now, I don’t have enough information to elaborate.”

Tkachuk exited the ice early in the third period after only nine seconds of play and spent time skating to evaluate his discomfort. At one point, he seemingly informed assistant coach John Tortorella that he “couldn’t go,” as he only logged 1:13 of ice time in the third period and did not return for the last 12 minutes of the match.

When pressed about his injury, Tkachuk attempted to downplay the situation and shift the conversation.

“No concern at all,” he remarked. “I feel good. It’s definitely easier to feel that way after a win. Everything should be fine.”

The U.S. secured a position in the finals of the 4 Nations tournament on Thursday in Boston, which could lead Sullivan to decide to rest Tkachuk during the round-robin finale against Sweden on Monday. This match does not impact the overall standings in the NHL-run international event. Veteran Chris Kreider stands ready to step in should Tkachuk be sidelined.

However, it appears that Tkachuk is eager to participate throughout the tournament, especially since he and numerous other athletes have been anticipating a return to high-level country versus country competition. The excitement is reminiscent of his achievement in winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers last season.

“Other than Game 7 last year, this has been the highlight of my hockey career,” Tkachuk expressed. “I’m just looking forward to enjoying this experience with my teammates.”