Team USA HC touches on Matthew Tkachuk's injury status availability after his early exit against Canada

Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk sustained a lower-body injury that caused him to sit out the final 12:36 minutes of the USA's 3-1 win over Canada on Saturday.

His availability for the United States' final round-robin game against Sweden on Monday remains uncertain. When asked about Tkachuk's status, coach Mike Sullivan said that the player is still being evaluated and that the decision regarding his participation will be made on what's best for the team.

"Matthew's status is right now he's continuing to be evaluated. I can't give you anything more specific than that. We're going to make decisions that we think are best for our team, and so we're in the process of going through that discussion right now," said Sullivan.

However, Matthew Tkachuk downplayed his injury after the game, indicating that he should be fine.

“I feel good,” he said. “Definitely way better after a win. Should be all good."

The US has already clinched a spot in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Tkachuk's status for Monday's game remains uncertain, and it's also possible that the team might choose to give him some rest before the final.

Meanwhile, the 4 Nations Face-Off moves to Boston, with the United States facing off against Sweden at TD Garden. The puck drop for Monday's game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.

---

Matthew Tkachuk on his fight with Brandon Hagel

The intensity of the rivalry between the USA and Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off was clear from the start of the game, with three fights in the first nine seconds.

The first broke out when Matthew Tkachuk dropped the gloves with Brandon Hagel just two seconds into the game.

Tkachuk reflected on the fight, saying that the team aimed to send a message that it was their time to compete fiercely.

"I think the message we wanted to send is 'It's our time,'" Matthew Tkachuk said (via NHL).

"We're in a hostile environment, and we wanted to show that we're not backing down. They've had so much success over so many years over there. They're some of the best players in the world. We felt in this environment it was a good time to do it. It was a lot of fun."

He also acknowledged the Canadian players for matching their energy, highlighting the excitement and intensity from both sides. Matthew Tkachuk has racked up three points in the tournament.