It took less than nine seconds for Team USA to record three fights in their 3-1 win over Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off showdown at Bell Centre in Montreal on Saturday night.

Unsurprisingly, Matthew and Brady Tkachuk were the instigators.

The brothers -- who stole the show in Thursday's game against Finland with a combined four goals and five points -- took it a step further Saturday by coordinating with teammate J.T. Miller to put Canada on its heels early.

"We needed to send a message," Matthew Tkachuk said after the win. "We're here in Montreal on a Saturday night. We want it to be our time, and that message started right from the get-go."

The hockey rivalry renewed with Matthew dropping his gloves against Canada's Brandon Hagel after the opening faceoff, igniting a sold-out crowd. Tkachuk and Hagel are rivals in the NHL as well, playing for the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, respectively.

It was the fastest fight to start an NHL international game, topping the previous record of 20 seconds in 1996 when Canada's Keith Primeau and Claude Lemieux fought Team USA's Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin in the World Cup of Hockey. Guerin is the U.S. general manager in the 4 Nations Face-Off, and Tkachuk is Matthew and Brady's father -- although Matthew denied that his father's history influenced his and Brady's actions.

One second after Matthew Tkachuk went to the penalty box, Brady Tkachuk fought his older brother's Florida teammate, Sam Bennett, after the game's second faceoff. Matthew Tkachuk slammed his arms against the glass in the penalty box in support.

Six seconds later, Miller fought Colton Parayko after the two jostled in front of Canada's net. Miller also received a cross-checking penalty on the play, giving Canada the first power play of the game.

For the parties involved, it was no accident the game started that way.

"There was a little discussion during the day," Brady Tkachuk said about the fights as his brother implored him to "tell the truth" while they sat at the podium.

"Yeah, there was a group chat going on today," Brady Tkachuk said. "We just reaffirmed we were going to do that. I think Matthew's fight to start it off was just such an energy boost. I think I was more excited, more nervous for my own. And then for Millsy to cap it off against a big guy like that, he did a great job. It was a pretty awesome experience."

The NHL hadn't had a fight in an international tournament it had hosted since the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Miller was just as pleased as the Tkachuks to be part of the plan.

"That was pretty fun," Miller said. "That was the coolest experience I've probably had on the ice, one of them. To hear the building like that, it's something you'll never forget. There's a lot of bad blood, but at the same time, tons of respect for the other team."

That's what drove Hagel to fight Matthew.

"I'm not backing down," Hagel said. "A little bit of the talk was these guys are going to take over the Canadian way, but I'm not going to let it happen."

The exuberance on both sides wasn't lost on anyone in the building -- least of all the teams' coaches. Canada's Jon Cooper called the start of the game "mayhem" and credited "two passionate teams" for the intense opening.

Team USA's coach Mike Sullivan thought each country's response showed the importance of this tournament.

"I just think it's very indicative of what this means to the players," he said. "There's two teams out there that are very competitive that have a ton of pride for their respective teams and countries. For me, when you have an investment in trying to win like the way that it occurred, I think that's an indication of it. What an incredible hockey game."

The U.S.-Canada game at 4 Nations was years in the making. The NHL hadn't participated in a "best on best" tournament since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. A generation of star players are representing their countries for the first time in such a tournament, from Canada's Connor McDavid -- who scored the lone goal for his nation Saturday -- and Nathan MacKinnon to Team USA's Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel.

The showdown had an added dimension due to recent political tensions between the U.S. and Canada. President Donald Trump threatened -- and subsequently enforced -- significant tariffs on Canadian imports. Trump has also repeatedly made references to his proposal of Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state.

The U.S. national anthem was booed by NHL fans in Canadian cities leading up to the tournament. There was a smattering of boos before the Americans' win over Finland on Thursday, as the public address announcer at Bell Centre asked for the anthems to be respected. But before Saturday night's game, the fans booed the introduction of the U.S. players by Olympic figure skating legend Michelle Kwan and loudly booed the anthem.

With the win, the U.S. secured its place in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game in Boston on Thursday night.

"Getting a win here on a Saturday night, that puts us in the finals, that's a pretty neat feeling," Brady Tkachuk told ESPN's Emily Kaplan in his postgame, on-ice interview. "I feel like there are a lot of unhappy people here, especially in Montreal, a place that isn't my favorite."

When Team USA takes part in the final, Matthew Tkachuk intends to play despite suffering an apparent injury late in the game Saturday. He played just three shifts in the third period and sat out the final 12:36. Sullivan said Tkachuk is being evaluated for a lower-body injury and wouldn't say whether he'd be held out of the USA's game against Sweden on Monday.

Tkachuk, though, downplayed any nagging issue Saturday.

"No concern at all," he said of a potential ailment. "Just going to enjoy this win tonight. Other than Game 7 last year [when his Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup], this has been the highlight of my hockey career. I'm just going to enjoy it with the guys."

A 4 Nations Face-Off game that began with three fights in nine seconds produced some of the best hockey on display in recent memory. The result: a 3-1 win for the United States over Canada, much to the dismay of a majority of the fans at Montreal's Bell Centre on Saturday night.

The victory gives Team USA six points and clinches a spot in the championship game this Thursday. Each of the other teams has two points, so Monday's matchups will determine whom the Americans will face for the title:

Here are grades for the U.S. and Canada, our biggest takeaways, key players to watch in the next game and lingering questions.

Grading the teams

United States: A

Team USA's opening win over Finland on Thursday was the kind of emphatic, confidence-building victory the Americans needed before facing their archrivals. But it also was important for proof of concept about this roster. It established two scoring lines, anchored by Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel. It showed that star players on their NHL teams could adapt to becoming role players on the national team -- players such as Dylan Larkin, who scored a critical goal against Canada. It was a win that showed the Americans as poised and in control of their emotions.

Everything they exhibited in that matchup with Finland informed this effort against Canada on Saturday, underscored by a strong performance from Connor Hellebuyck in goal. It was a victory in the most hostile of environments for the Americans, a total team effort in a cyclone of emotions.

The Canadians will note the absence of Cale Makar due to illness and that the game's importance was diminished following Sweden's overtime loss to Finland. The Americans -- who of course are missing Quinn Hughes for the entirety of the tournament due to injury -- certainly will take that under advisement as they travel back home celebrating an epic win, clinching a spot in Thursday's championship game in Boston and ending Canada's 17-game "best-on-best" tournament winning streak, per ESPN Research. -- Greg Wyshynski

Canada: B-

Maybe placing such a high emphasis on a single play could be considered unfair when it comes to Canada's overall performance. But in a game between the two most talented teams in the tournament, there was going to be little separation.

The Americans found that separation in the second period, with Matt Boldy breaking up a Sidney Crosby cross-ice pass that was further compounded by a line change. That saw an odd-skater rush in the other direction, with Larkin firing a shot for what proved to be the winning goal in just the second period.

Mistakes often have the potential to prove costly, with the notion that miscues are further amplified by facing the reigning Vezina Trophy winner in Hellebuyck, who could win the award again this season. Even with the copious high-danger scoring chances Canada created later in the game, it wasn't enough to overcome the gaffe that led to the winning goal. -- Ryan S. Clark

What we learned

Hellebuyck answers the critics

Hellebuyck is considered the best goaltender in the world, having won the Vezina Trophy last season and the favorite to claim it again for the Winnipeg Jets this season. But the 31-year-old American has his detractors, who point to his lack of success when it matters most. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, he has a 33-49 career record and back-to-back first-round exits with a save percentage under .890.

While some felt the goal he surrendered against Finland was specious, he was solid for the rest of the contest. Against Canada, he gave a goal to Connor McDavid on the rush -- what NHL goalie hasn't? -- but was a formidable last line of defense the remainder of the way with 20 saves, coming up some big stops in the third period.

Hellebuyck was one of the players in this tournament who needed a strong showing -- for his confidence and to cement himself as the starter for the 2026 Winter Olympics ahead of a very crowded field. So far, he is making a statement. -- Wyshynski

Canada found countermeasures but still missed Makar

Even with Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley on standby, there were questions that Canada needed to answer when it came to how it would effectively replace one of the game's best defensemen. Makar finished with a little more than 28 minutes of ice time in Canada's overtime win against Sweden. It was the most of any skater for either team.

Makar's absence went beyond his ice time. It meant having to find someone who could operate on the first-team power-play and penalty-killing units. Canada turned to Josh Morrissey to operate in Makar's place on the power play, only to finish 0-for-2. As for Harley, he would finish with two shots in 18:47 of ice time. It's not overstating it to say Canada needs Makar back for Monday's game against Finland. -- Clark

Historic, chaotic start

Maybe it was the emotions of the rivalry manifesting in the only way they could have. Maybe it was the Florida Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk seeing Brandon Hagel, an NHL rival with the Tampa Bay Lightning, in the starting lineup and finding himself unable to do anything but drop the gloves -- which was brother Brady Tkachuk's theory. Maybe it was the Tkachuk brothers honoring their dad, Keith, who held a share of the record for earliest fight in an NHL international game at 20 seconds during the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

That's a record that fights by the Tkachuks and J.T. Miller against Hagel, Sam Bennett and Colton Parayko shattered. Whatever motivated three fights in the first nine seconds of Saturday night's showdown, it turned a rivalry hockey game in a round-robin tournament into a cultural moment on Saturday night. People who don't talk about hockey were talking about hockey, which is what the NHL wanted out of this tournament -- even if the catalyst for that spike in interest was something no one could have predicted.

The best rivalry in hockey, United States vs. Canada, just got better, with a return game potentially on tap next week. -- Wyshynski

Where were the individual displays for Canada when it needed goals?

Looking ahead to this game, there was a hearty debate over which side was more talented. The way McDavid found space and burst past Charlie McAvoy for the game's first goal is arguably the strongest example that those on the Canadian side were right.

But outside of that lone moment? Many of Canada's stars struggled to find the necessary openings that would allow them to utilize their talent. Perhaps the most evident example came in the third period, when reigning Hart Trophy winner Nathan MacKinnon used his speed on a zone entry only to rethink his approach once Jaccob Slavin arrived to take away what appeared to be a path toward the net.

Much of the frustration had to do with the Americans relying on a tight structure, which made finding those opportunities difficult until later in the third period. It amounted to Canada ending the night with 12 high-danger chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. That's more than the 10 high-danger chances it mustered against Sweden -- but with fewer goals to show for it. -- Clark

Players to watch

Jake Guentzel
F, United States

What a tournament for the Lightning winger. He had a goal and an assist against Finland followed by two goals -- including an empty-netter -- against Canada.

Guentzel has always had the reputation of rising to the occasion as a Stanley Cup playoff performer with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes. He is the leader for tournament MVP. -- Wyshynski

Sam Reinhart
F, Canada

Part of what made Canada one of the initial favorites to win the tournament was the squad's scoring depth. That includes Reinhart. Since the 2022-23 season, only five players have scored more NHL goals than Reinhart, who is on pace to finish with more than 40 for a second straight campaign.

But against the U.S., he finished with zero goals on no shots, in the wake of a performance against Sweden in which he scored zero goals on three shots. -- Clark

Big questions for the next game

How do they approach a (potentially) meaningless game?

The Americans already have qualified for Thursday's championship game. That they know. Who their opponents are is a mystery.

Canada's game against Finland on Monday afternoon will determine whether the Canadians will punch their ticket for a rematch in the title game or if Monday night's U.S.-Sweden contest carries any importance.

Do the Americans play another goalie to give Hellebuyck a rest? Does Matthew Tkachuk heal up from whatever was ailing him in the Canada game and give Chris Kreider his 4 Nations debut? All in all, these are good problems to have for tournament-leading Team USA. -- Wyshynski

Can the space that eluded Canada against the U.S. be found against Finland?

Much of what allowed the United States to have success against Canada was the ability to take away time and space, while also blocking shots and using a physical style by finishing with 30 hits. Could Finland look to employ a similar strategy on Monday when it faces Canada for a championship game berth on the line?

Finland overcame giving up six goals in its first game to the U.S. by making it difficult for Sweden to find chances of any kind by taking away space. It's one of the major reasons Sweden finished with only two high-danger chances. If Finland employs a similar system, what adjustments will Canada have to make to force a rematch with the U.S. -- and avoid an earlier-than-expected exit? -- Clark

Manchester City's new signing Omar Marmoush bagged a hat trick in 13 first-half minutes in a 4-0 rout of Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday, making an emphatic statement after arriving at the club last month.

James McAtee added a late strike for Pep Guardiola's side who climbed to fourth place in the standings on 44 points with their biggest league victory at the Etihad Stadium this season, while Newcastle slipped to seventh on 41.

"The way we played, we remembered what we were and what we have not been this season," Guardiola said. "We always try, but sometimes we cannot do it. We need to win these games to qualify for the Champions League. We have to make this kind of performance to send our people home happy."

Marmoush gave the hosts the lead in the 19th minute when City goalkeeper Ederson launched a long pass that defender Kieran Trippier misjudged and the Egyptian lobbed the ball over the onrushing Martin Dúbravka.

The 26-year-old doubled his tally five minutes later when he latched onto a pass from Ilkay Gündogan before firing in a low shot that took a slight deflection off Trippier.

The striker completed his hat trick in the 33rd with a blistering shot from 12 yards out when Savinho found him in acres of space.

"Amazing day, the feeling is crazy," Marmoush said. "And the three points, we came in from the first minute and got the job done. It was all fast paced, I was really happy to help the team."

McAtee struck in the 84th, nine minutes after entering the game, volleying home from Erling Haaland's near-post flick from a corner.

There were some tense moments when City's goalscoring machine Haaland pulled up holding his knee, while a distraught looking Guardiola held his head in his hands, but after receiving medical treatment he was able to walk off the pitch.

Playing with more confidence than they have shown in weeks, City attacked in waves against a Newcastle side who looked nothing like a team who had won 12 of their previous 14 games across all competitions.

City had seven shots on target to Newcastle's one, including a shot from Savinho after a one-two with Phil Foden that Dubravka managed to save.

Marmoush's emergence as a genuine attacking threat, after City paid 59 million ($74.25 million) to sign the striker from the Eintracht Frankfurt, is a big boost for the injury-hit team, who lost defender Manuel Akanji on Wednesday for eight to 10 weeks to an adductor injury that required surgery.

Marmoush -- who had only made two previous league appearances for City -- has been a breakout star in Europe this season, scoring 15 goals in the Bundesliga to trail only England international and Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane in the top scorers' chart.

He received a standing ovation from the delighted Etihad Stadium crowd and high fives from teammates when subbed off in the second half, and then walked proudly into the tunnel with the match ball tucked under his arm after the final whistle.

Newcastle have not got the better of City in a league game since a 2-1 victory in January 2019, and have never won a league game at the Etihad.

"It was a tough game, they are still the toughest team to play against. We were not at our best today," Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said.

"They ask so many questions of you, put you under pressure. They did not have a bundle of chances but they did what they needed to do."

Arsenal thrashed north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 5-0 on Saturday to boost their slim Women's Super League title hopes, in a game where Chloe Kelly made her return and Alessia Russo shone.

The hosts were quick to find cracks in Spurs' defense at the Emirates Stadium and went 1-0 up in the 14th minute after a Kyra Cooney-Cross cross found Russo, who got a slight touch before Clare Hunt turned into her own net.

Mariona Caldentey then found the bottom corner in the 35th minute from 14 yards out despite Spurs goalkeeper Lize Kop's best efforts.

Tottenham's defensive woes were clear to see and they persisted into the second half, and six minutes after the restart Frida Maanum's deflected effort from the edge of the area ended in the back of the net.

The visitors then left themselves open chasing the game, with Caitlin Foord having plenty of space to run into on a counter in the 58th minute before assisting Russo, who made no mistake from the right-side of the box and capped her player of the match performance.

Just as Spurs thought it couldn't get any worse, Arsenal defender Emily Fox netted her first WSL goal with a stellar shot from 25 yards out.

On-loan Kelly, making her first appearance for Arsenal in 2,815 days, nearly topped off a perfect day for Arsenal but hit the crossbar.

The win means Arsenal are eight points off WSL leaders Chelsea in third, while Spurs sit sixth with 17 points.

Pep Guardiola said he is hopeful Erling Haaland will be fit for Manchester City's Champions League second-leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday after admitting to being "scared" by the forward's second-half injury against Newcastle.

Haaland, who captained City for the first time in a Premier League game against the Carabao Cup finalists, went down clutching his knee in the final stages of the 4-0 win at the Etihad.

The 25-year-old appeared to jar his right knee unchallenged before falling to the ground in clear discomfort, but after a period of treatment, Haaland was able to walk off the pitch before watching the rest of the game from the substitutes' bench.

"When he went down, everyone was scared," Guardiola said. "But he walked off smiling and the doctor didn't tell me bad news so hopefully he is fine.

"I have not spoken to the doctor. Maybe it's not bad as it could be." City must overturn a 3-2 first-leg deficit against Real in the Santiago Bernabéu to reach the round of 16.

Haaland scored City's two goals during last Tuesday's loss against the reigning Champions League champions at the Etihad.

With vice-captain Kevin De Bruyne named as a substitute against Newcastle and former captain Kyle Walker offloaded to AC Milan during the January transfer window, Guardiola said he decided to hand Haaland the armband against Newcastle following his recent decision to sign a ten-year contract at City.

"When Kyle left, Kevin became the first [captain], then I nominated Erling," Guardiola said. "He will be here 10 years, so sooner or later, you have to take that responsibility.

"It's nice for the first time in the Premier League, it's just a beginning, but it's a gesture."

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has warned his players against showing "weakness" by arguing with referees after Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham was sent off for talking back to a match official on Saturday.

Referee José Luis Munuera Montero dismissed Bellingham in Madrid's 1-1 draw with Osasuna for saying "f--- you." The England international insists there was a miscommunication and he had actually said "f--- off" in frustration.

Flick has said either comment is disrespectful and that he has told Barça's players to not even waste energy contesting decisions with match officials.

"When you say this to me, I think it's not nice," he said in a news conference when asked for his thoughts on the difference between "f--- you" and "f--- off."

"It's disrespect. For me, it's like that. But I don't have to decide [the punishments]. It's not my thing to decide about this situation.

"I think, and this is always what I say to my players, why you waste time or energy to speak or discuss with the referee about these decisions?

"We have one person on the pitch who is allowed to discuss with the ref and this is the captain. We have to accept that.

"I don't like this behaviour and I said this today to my players because it's very important and it's not good for the team when you do it and get the red card. It's a weakness and we don't like that."

Madrid's dropped points, coupled with second placed Atlético Madrid's draw against Celta Vigo, means Barça could jump from third place to top of LaLiga if they beat Rayo Vallecano on Monday.

Barça are unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions since the turn of the year, but they welcome a Rayo side who have avoided defeat in their last nine LaLiga games, last losing in the league on Dec. 1.

"We don't look to the table," Flick added after watching both of Barça's title rivals slip up this weekend.

"For us, it's very important at the end [of the season] we see what happens. It's a long way to the end. We want to show the performances we did since the New Year started.

"Rayo are doing a really good job. The coach [Iñigo Pérez] is doing unbelievable. They're a brave team and they press and they do it with a real intensity, at home and also away."

Flick has no new injury concerns for the game at the Olympic Stadium, with Ronald Araújo fit despite hurting his ankle last week, leaving Marc-André ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen and Marc Bernal as the only absentees.

Ruben Amorim has said he and the first team "cannot ignore" job cuts at Manchester United and that it is their "responsibility" to improve results to help staff and prevent ticket price hikes.

United made 250 employees redundant over the summer as part of cost-cutting measures from part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and sources have told ESPN that they are considering making further cuts.

The Premier League giants have reported losses of 300m over the last three years and their financial situation has not been helped by on-pitch performance, with United failing to make the Champions League places last season. This year, under Erik ten Hag and now Amorim, has been even worse and the club are languishing in 14th in the league ahead of Sunday's game against Tottenham Hotspur.

Amorim has acknowledged that he, and his players, must shoulder the blame.

"I think it's really important for us in the first team, coaches and players, to not ignore that," Amorim said of the job losses.

"People are losing their jobs so we have to acknowledge that the biggest problem is the football team. We spend the money. We are not winning. We are not in the Champions League so the revenues are not the same. We spent a lot of money in the past and now we have to be careful with the finances so cannot rebuild the team the way we would like.

"People are losing their jobs and, of course, have that feeling of not being safe in their job. It's hard to have that feeling so it affects the environment. We cannot ignore it, we acknowledge that problem.

"I want to say the responsibility is the first team and we have to change that."

Other cost-cutting measures introduced under Ratcliffe include raising ticket prices in an effort to increase revenues, and Amorim added: "To change that, the first thing we should do is win at Tottenham. That is a small step to try to help these people, to try to not push prices of tickets higher. We are responsible for that."

In January, the club wrote to fan groups to explain what they called "difficult choices."

"If we do not act now, we are in danger of failing to comply with PSR/FFP requirements," United said in the letter.

"We are currently making a significant loss each year totalling over 300m in the past three years. This is not sustainable.

"We will have to make some difficult choices. That has included a significant reduction to our workforce as well as cuts across many areas of spend across our club."