Can Canada still make the 4 Nations Face-Off finals? Possible qualification scenarios explained

Canada is still alive in the 4 Nations Face-Off. So are Finland and Team USA. The United States, by virtue of beating Finland and Canada already, is guaranteed one of the two spots in the final on Thursday. The last one is up for grabs. Can the Canadians snatch it?

The Canadian hockey team is still alive for the final and a rematch with the United States. They have a few ways of getting in, but it all comes down to winning. If they lose to Finland tonight, they're out.

It's not as simple as win and in, though. The manner in which they win is important. If they win in regulation, they're in. If it requires overtime or a shootout, they will need outside help.

If Canada wins in a shootout or overtime, they'll need the United States to claim at least one point from Sweden. That means Team USA has to win or lose in overtime or a shootout to help Canada. If not, the Canadians will be in a difficult situation.

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Canada reflects on tough loss to Team USA in 4 Nations Face-Off

On Saturday night, Team USA beat Canada 3-1, although one goal came late on an empty net as the Canadians were trying to mount a furious comeback in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Canada lost to Team USA (Imagn)

It was a hard-fought, literally with several fights in the first few minutes, loss for the Canadian team, which only got one goal from Connor McDavid. The forward said about the loss via NHL:

"It was fast, tight-checking, competitive, emotional. It had everything you would want in a hockey game. It [stinks] it didn't go our way, but this thing's far from over."

Despite taking a 1-0 lead in that 4 Nations Face-Off game, the Canadian team couldn't keep the momentum. Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper said:

"We had the puck for about 180 feet, we couldn't get it past that extra 20 feet and that's stuff we've got to look at. We've got to learn from this."

Today, they will have to learn from their loss, as Cooper said. Otherwise, they will go home early. If they can, they'll get a chance to avenge the loss to Team USA on Saturday night in Montreal.