National pride on line at 4 Nations Face-Off with little margin for error

BROSSARD, Quebec -- The 4 Nations Face-Off got very real a few minutes before 10:30 a.m. ET on Monday, directly beneath the banners of legendary goalie Jacques Plante and the 1952-53 Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens.

Adin Hill was first on the ice at CN Sports Complex for Canada, the Vegas Golden Knights goalie stretching in front of his country's bench, soon joined by goalies Jordan Binnington and Sam Montembeault and then their teammates.

Hill wasn't a member of the Golden Knights for this brisk practice. Wearing his maple-leaf-motif mask, crested practice jersey and distinctive gloves and pads, he was stopping pucks for Canada.

"About two days after the team was selected, (equipment manufacturer) Brian's (Custom Sports) sent me about 12 different ideas and mockups of things I could go with," Hill said post-practice in a media-packed dressing room, a galaxy of talent gathered in the Canadiens' usual quarters at their training facility eight miles south of downtown. "I took a couple of them, meshed them into one and I think it turned out great."

The pads, he said with a grin, "will go in my garage (after the tournament). I won't let them out of my sight."

Canada, the United States, Sweden and finally Finland held their first practices for the 4 Nations Face-Off, which begins with Canada playing Sweden at Montreal's Bell Centre on Wednesday (8 p.m. ET, MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS). This is the ninth NHL International tournament, following five Canada Cup events in the 1970s and 1980s and three under the banner of the World Cup of Hockey, the most recent in 2016.

There is precious little room for error in the 4 Nations, teams playing each other once before the Feb. 20 championship game in Boston. Chemistry must be built in a hurry.

The goal, said U.S. captain Auston Matthews, is "coming together as quickly as you can as a team. A lot of us on our respective NHL teams play a significant role and when you come to a setting like this, things change, they're different. It's accepting knowing where you're at and playing your role to the best of your ability."

U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck has, for a moment, taken a step back from the Winnipeg Jets to focus on what's required in his country's net.

"I guess today, really," he said of turning the page from the Jets to 4 Nations. "In the back of my head I still have an NHL season to prepare for and the (Stanley Cup Playoffs) ahead. But we put that on pause today, seeing the USA jersey, the gear, some new guys, letting that whole process take care of itself."

Hill's first pinch-me moment came a few hours earlier at the team hotel, sitting down to breakfast with Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid.

"It was a fast-paced practice out there, exciting," Hill said. "Everybody who comes down on you and shoots is a legend. It was a fun day of practice."

Crosby, Canada's captain, practiced at full speed and then confirmed his 4 Nations participation after missing two games with an upper-body injury. The three-time Stanley Cup champion (2009, '16, '17) is delighted, perhaps even relieved, to have the opportunity to represent Canada again. He was captain for gold-medal victories at the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi Olympics, the 2015 IIHF World Championship and the World Cup of Hockey 2016.

"It means a lot," Crosby said. "Another opportunity to represent Canada, get to play with guys I've played with before, a couple, mostly a lot of new faces too, guys who haven't had the opportunity in a long time to play for Canada… a lot of different reasons, but obviously playing for Team Canada is a huge honor, especially to be here in Montreal. It's a great atmosphere."

Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand was trying to wrap his mind around the idea of being cheered at Bell Centre, where he's often Public Enemy No. 1, and potentially being booed at Boston's TD Garden, his own arena, when he'll be on the "other" national team, the rivalry between Canada and the U.S. steeped in rich tradition and white-hot intensity.

If Marchand hears cheers in Montreal, he joked, "It will be the last time, but I still could get booed here.

"You never know when your last opportunity to play for your nation will be," he said with a more serious tone. "It's been nine years since the last time. You never want to squander that opportunity. There's so much pride that goes with playing for Team Canada. It's not just for yourself, it's for the entire country. We take it extremely seriously. We're here to compete."

Clearly, Marchand was drinking it all in. The 36-year-old forward considered his thoughts upon arriving Monday and looking at the players who will be his teammates for at least three games.

"I thought, 'What am I doing here?' " he said, laughing again. "I don't take for granted an opportunity like this. When you walk in the room and see some of the best players who have ever played this sport, you get to watch and be on the ice with them, it truly is an honor.

"I'm just trying to embrace and enjoy every moment. I'll get a million autographs from everybody -- and put 'em up on eBay. This tournament is an incredible opportunity. The older you get, the longer you're around, you realize how fortunate you are to be part of it."

A few spots to his left, Binnington was dropping his pads off his shins.

"From a goalie's perspective, everyone's a great shooter," he said. "They know what they want to do out there. It's a lot of fun for us to compete. Today was a great day. It's special, representing Canada. It's something you watch growing up and now you're here.

"You remind yourself to be in the moment and enjoy it, ask yourself what that kid watching would want to do in this moment and be proud to wear this jersey."

Normally dressed strongly in blue, Binnington had plenty of red on his pads and gloves. He hopes to keep his equipment after the 4 Nations, "but I don't know if they're taking it back," he added with a laugh. "You never know."

The storylines are woven strongly through the fabric of this tournament, many NHL teammates now opponents at 4 Nations. Still, U.S. defenseman Charlie McAvoy wasn't biting when the bait was cast about Marchand. How would McAvoy react, he was asked, should his Bruins teammate be parked rudely in the goal crease Saturday night?

"We'll get there and deal with that when we get there," he said, not even cracking a smile. "We have a big day of practice (Tuesday) and that's all I'm thinking about now."