On Monday, with Canada looking to guarantee a spot in the tournament final with a victory against Finland, it was McDavid again who opened the scoring en route to a 5-3 victory. When it was time to set the tone of the game, the Edmonton Oilers center did exactly that.

In many ways, the poster children for the return of best-on-best hockey have long been Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. The No. 1 picks from the 2015 and 2016 NHL drafts, respectively, McDavid and Matthews were teased with a version of it as teammates on the made-up Team North America youth squad at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

When it comes to Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby says “whether it’s with his play or his words, he’s there to lead.” The Oilers star did just that when Canada needed it most on Monday at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

For more than a decade, whenever it was all on the line for Canada, whenever a win-or-go home scenario was presented to them, whenever the country has fretted over potential hockey disappointment, it's been Sidney Crosby,

Connor McDavid was outstanding for Team Canada, notching a goal and an assist, Nathan MacKinnon scored twice, Brayden Point added a single while Sidney Crosby notched an empty-net goal to fend off a valiant comeback attempt from Team Finland in a 5-3 victory.