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Am I the only one who saw the Four Nations Face Off as an epic two-week long dream? In place and stead of the NHL All-Star Game this year, we were treated to an amazing best-on-best tournament featuring the NHL's best from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. The countries faced each other in round robin games, with the standings being different than what we see in the NHL. Regulation wins were three points, overtime/shootout wins were two points, overtime/shootout losses were a single point, and of course, no points for regulation losses.

The US only needed two wins in two games to clinch a spot in the final, and after losing to the US, Canada defeated Finland in regulation to lock up the other spot. Because of course, it had to come down to Canada and the US, and the championship final went to overtime. In round robin play, OT is 10 minutes of 3-on-3, followed by a shootout. In the championship, it's playoff OT, play until someone scores. Connor McDavid scored the OT winner in the final, giving Canada the championship.

As for MVP honors, that went to Nathan MacKinnon. He had seven points in the tournament, but four of them were goals. The very first goal in this entire tournament? That was him. Two goals in the game against Finland, and the first goal in the final. Two more feathers in Mack's proverbial cap: a Four Nations Championship and MVP, a Hart Trophy and a Stanley Cup. This year, Mack's in line to possibly win the Hart for the second straight year, and he is also the points leader in the entire league.

Four Nations was fun, but it's in the past, and now, it's--to borrow a line from MMPR--back to action! 14 games were played on a Saturday that marked the resuming point of the 2024-25 NHL season, the first of the remaining 55 days in the season. One of those games saw the Colorado Avalanche in action against the Nashville Predators, the fourth game in an extended five-game road trip that began with three games in Western Canada.

Scott Wedgewood was in net for the first time in almost a month against the goalie he backed up in Nashville, Juuse Saros. The opening frame was hotly contested, and saw everything but two things: penalties and goals. Yes, the Avs led in shots, but nothing went in, though at least that was the case with Nashville as well. Plus, both teams were well-behaved, and three years ago, "well-behaved" and the Nashville Predators did not go together; Nashville was the most penalized team in the NHL in 2021-22

In the second period, the Avs struck first and early. At just 75 seconds in, Sam Malinski made it 1-0, and the assists came from Jonathan Drouin and another ex-Predator, Juuso Parssinen. We would not enjoy that lead for long. Justin Barron, the very player we traded to get Artturi Lehkonen (and we know how that turned out for us), tied it up just 30 seconds later. So the goals were coming, but so far, no penalties. I did want a power play for the Avs, but another part of me wanted to see an actual penalty-free game. I know those exist. This would not be one of them. At 12:25 of the 2nd period, the first penalty was committed, and it was Brady Skjei going in. Avs had the power play, but it didn't get much of anything. Nothing else of note really happened, except MacKinnon and Cale Makar having close calls.

Third period saw the Avs really press for a go-ahead goal, but that puck luck would go to the Preds. Jonathan Marchessault (leave it to an ex-Golden Knight) struck to give the Preds their first lead of the game, and the Avs really tried to tie it up. Then the worst thing happened. With just under two and a half left in regulation, Lehkonen was called for high-sticking. Double minor. Yeah. Preds killed a lot of the clock, but we were able to get possession long enough to get Wedgewood out of there. So it was five-on-five, with only Saros in net. Despite this, we were shooting. It did look like we'd have a chance at a shorthanded goal, but despite the shots being there, nothing cracked.

I said during the break that the Avs need to get wins because Dallas and Minnesota don't seem to lose much. The first game back from the break was the Minnesota Wild in Detroit against the Red Wings. The Wild were down 3-1. Then the last few minutes of the third period happened. A delayed penalty goal, an extra attacker goal to force OT and give the Wild one point, and they got the second in OT. Hell's bells. Even worse, Dallas won in New Jersey. So yeah, we're now four points behind Minnesota for third place. Not good. Thankfully, this is the first of a back-to-back, as it's off to St. Louis after this on the following day.

And after that game, it's a six-game homestand! We also have one of the easiest remaining schedules in the league, and we still have some games against Dallas and Minnesota remaining. We have a good chance to make up that ground in the Central. It's time to capitalize. It's almost March. The playoff push is upon us!

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