The 4 Nations Face-Off final is set. A 5-3 win for Canada in Monday's game against Finland has pushed it through to the championship game, where it will face the United States. The U.S. clinched its spot in the final with a 3-1 win over Canada on Saturday.

If the return match between the two North American rivals is anything like the first one, hockey fans are in for another treat. That game -- which featured three fights in the first nine seconds of play -- was heralded by many players as one of the most intense games in which they'd played in their careers.

With the teams set for the final game of the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, let's explore the players who have been most important to each squad, the X factors for Thursday's game, and just how confident each nation should be in its goaltender.

United States

What we've learned so far

All the conversations about what this version of Team USA could achieve has manifested itself in a few ways. Against Finland, the U.S. looked the part of a team that was comfortable playing in a tight-checking game -- only to provide the sort of offensive surge with three goals on its first four shots to start the third period.

The performance against Canada further amplified how the squad could rely on its collective talent, capitalizing on mistakes while having the flexibility to withstand a late push.

Team MVP through round robin

Jaccob Slavin. Saying "a Tkachuk" would have made sense, considering Brady and Matthew combined to score four of nine goals for the U.S. through its first two games. And while the brothers' exploits have received quite a bit of attention, there's an argument to be made for the role Slavin has played in the success of the team -- particularly as Matthew missed the game against Sweden due to injury, and Brady left after the first period.

Sweden defenseman Victor Hedman is the only skater who is averaging more ice time than Slavin during the tournament. Slavin is averaging more than 23 minutes per game, while anchoring a penalty kill that has been perfect through two games, which also speaks to what has allowed the U.S. to succeed within its defensive structure.

X factor: Special teams

Entering the third day of the tournament, there have been only four power-play goals. The U.S. was responsible for scoring two of those goals on five chances. And that's being done without one of the NHL's premier power-play quarterbacks in Vancouver Canucks star captain Quinn Hughes, who sat out the tournament because of injury.

The ability to capitalize on the power play has been balanced by a penalty kill that went 4-for-4 through two games because of a structure that not only moves with the puck but works to disrupt passing lanes at all times.

Goalie confidence: (9.5/10)

You might have heard: Connor Hellebuyck is another Vezina Trophy away from being the only American to win three. That would put him in a category with Martin Brodeur, Dominik Hasek and Patrick Roy, among others.

His strong performance in the regular season has carried over to the 4 Nations so far, with Hellebuyck allowing just two goals total in two games. But even with those two goals allowed, Hellebuyck made a number of saves that either made Finland look listless in its opening game, and leaving Canada frustrated in its inability to consistently take advantage of its high-danger chances in a 3-1 loss.

Canada

What we've learned so far

Canada has taken its time finding a rhythm. It was frequently its own worst enemy in the round robin, and those mistakes often proved costly. Canada showed a different confidence in its last game against Finland, which seemed driven by their star players setting a tone.

But Canada can't just rely on the likes of Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon to find twine against the U.S. There are strong role players in Canada's bottom six who can -- and should -- have an impact, whether it's Sam Bennett adding some punch (literally) or the threat of a Mitch Marner-Anthony Cirelli connection.

And when it comes to Canada's blue line, it's not the same without Cale Makar -- that was obvious within minutes of him stepping back into the lineup for Monday's game after sitting out the first game against the U.S. on Saturday because of illness. Jordan Binnington also proved in Monday's clash why coach Jon Cooper keeps going back to him -- Binnington can come through for Canada when it counts.

Team MVP through round robin

Connor McDavid. Now, this is tough, because Sidney Crosby is Canada's points leader (with five) and Cooper essentially (or actually?) called him a god in Monday's postgame news conference. And MacKinnon also has been excellent.

But it's tough to discount what McDavid has done. He scored the opening goal in their last two games (including the lone marker on Connor Hellebuyck in the first matchup against the Americans), and the way he dominated offensively in Monday's game with Finland was pure magic.

There's no one who can flip a switch quite like McDavid. If he's hitting that stride now, that's everything Canada needs to feel confident ahead of the final.

X factor: Scoring depth

Does Canada have enough of it? They're about to find out. The U.S. relied on its role players such as Dylan Larkin to win Saturday.

Canada's scoring to date has come primarily from its top two lines, and that's important -- critical, even. But Canada can't be one-dimensional in its attack. There's enough talent on each line that, when showcased early, can make the U.S. nervous. Canada has to tap into that mentality more than it has in recent games.

If the top lines are nullified by the U.S. -- and vice versa -- then victory could come down to which team gets the most out of its third and fourth units. And the way Cooper chooses to dole out ice time from puck drop also will be telling, and will show what he learned about how the teams matched up in the previous meeting.

Goalie confidence: (7.5/10)

Jordan Binnington is a polarizing figure. Cooper's determination to stick with him as Canada's starter throughout this tournament has been met with criticism, confusion and countless questions. His stats at the event also have been underwhelming (.892 save percentage, 2.60 goals-against average).

But Cooper hasn't wavered, and Binnington was the best he has been so far in Canada's game against Finland.

Now it comes down to whether the Stanley Cup-winning St. Louis Blues backstop can carry that performance over into the final -- at least the one he turned in for 55 minutes (giving up two 6-on-5 goals to the Finns in three minutes was a tough look). Timely stops -- that's what Hellebuyck has provided the U.S., and it's what Binnington has increasingly shown he can give to Canada.

Granted, Binnington didn't get much help offensively from his teammates in that first outing against the Americans, but regardless if that's the case again Thursday, Binnington must save his most complete effort for this final bout.

FC Cincinnati acquired All-Star Brazilian midfielder Evander from the Portland Timbers on Monday in exchange for $12 million, a record fee for a transfer between MLS teams.

The Timbers retained a future sell-on and trade percentage and could receive up to an additional $150,000 if certain performance metrics are reached.

Evander, 26, recorded 15 goals and a league-leading 19 assists in 28 Major League Soccer matches (27 starts) last season. He was an MLS All-Star, an MVP finalist and made the MLS Best XI. He had nine goals and five assists in 27 matches (25 starts) during his MLS debut season with Portland in 2023.

"We thank Evander for his contributions to the club, and we wish him all the best in this next chapter of his career," Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy said.

Evander will help Cincinnati to replace star midfielder Luciano Acosta, who was traded last week to FC Dallas.

"We're thrilled to welcome Evander and his family to Cincinnati," general manager Chris Albright said. "Evander has proven himself as one of the best players in our league, and his creativity and vision will be a great addition to our attack.

"He's an excellent teammate, and we're excited about how he'll fit with this group. This signing is a testament to the club's ambition and a credit to our ownership for their continued investment in this roster."

Evander's 34 goal contributions last season were second only to Inter Miami's Lionel Messi (36).

"I'm really happy, and I'm looking forward to the start of the season," Evander said. "... I'm looking forward to meeting up with the fans. I'm here to help. I'm here to do my best for the club and hopefully win some trophies."

The Timbers moved quickly to fill Evander's roster spot, acquiring Portuguese midfielder David Da Costa from French top-flight side RC Lens for a reported $6m on Monday.

Da Costa, 24, is signed as a designated player through 2028 with a club option for 2029. He had 11 goals and 17 assists in 123 appearances for RC Lens over the past four seasons.

"David is an intelligent player who can impact the game with or without the ball," Grabavoy said. "He has just turned 24, and with consistency and confidence, David still has the potential for further growth as a player."

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick confirmed Jules Koundé was dropped for Monday's 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano after arriving late for a pre-match meeting.

It's the second time this season Koundé's tardiness has cost him his place in the side. He was also benched against Alavés in October for the same reason.

Kounde eventually came on for Hector Fort in the 66th minute as Robert Lewandowski's first half penalty sent Barça back to the top of LaLiga, with Flick saying he will speak with the France defender about his punctuality.

"Before the match, we have maybe two or three appointments for the players, meetings," Flick explained in the post-game news conference.

"And this is very important the players are there. It's not very difficult to do this. It's not only about me, it's about [respect] for the players, the club, the fans.

"I don't want to say more because I want to speak with him. But he was too late. It's a clear rule, so he cannot start. This is what happened today."

Flick has strict rules regarding being on time. He also benched goalkeeper Iñaki Peña for the Spanish Supercopa semifinal against Athletic Club in January for arriving late for a pre-game meeting.

Without Koundé, who's started 34 of Barça's 37 games in all competitions this season, the Catalan side just about managed to see off a Rayo side who were unbeaten in nine league games going into the match.

Barça themselves are now on a 12 game unbeaten streak in all competitions and the three points took them back to the top of the table, continuing a rollercoaster season in Spain's top flight.

Flick's side had been 10 points clear in November, seven points off the pace at the start of February and now lead Real Madrid on goal difference, with Atlético Madrid just one point behind the Clásico rivals.

"It's not good to always [look at] the table because there is a long way to go," Flick added on returning to top spot. "I am happy for the fans, the club, they deserve this situation. We always said we fight to the end and it changes nothing. We have to fight until the end, match by match, this is how we want to finish the season.

"At the end we are happy with the win. A day like today, we are very happy to have the three points. It was very hard. It was not easy to win."

Raphinha missed a string of chances to make it a more comfortable game for Barça, but Rayo also had opportunities to take a share of the spoils.

The visitors appealed for a penalty when Abdul Mumin's shirt was pulled by Fort, with Barça's spot kick coming from a similar situation when Pathé Ciss brought down Iñigo Martínez in the box.

Rayo also had an equaliser ruled out for offside when Randy Nteka, coming back from an offside position, blocked Mártinez's attempt to stop Jorge de Frutos's goal.

"As a coach, I try to stay to the side of refereeing decisions," Rayo boss Iñigo Pérez said. "Some days it goes for us; other days it doesn't. I empathise with the job they have and won't cross that line.

"Right now, you have the disappointment of the defeat. With time and analysis, I am sure we will find things to be satisfied with, but it hurts right now. We can't be happy when we lose."

It's the rematch fans craved and Canada's 5-3 win over Finland on Monday afternoon clinched it: another battle with Team USA in the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off championship game Thursday night in Boston.

"The last thing we wanted to do was go home today. We'd love to play the Americans again. We feel like we could beat those guys. We plan on playing a little better this time," said Canada's Nathan MacKinnon, who had two goals in the win.

The Americans' 3-1 win over Canada on Saturday night was the talk of the sports world thanks to the raucous atmosphere in Montreal, three fights in the opening nine seconds of the game and thrilling play befitting this "best on best" tournament. The victory clinched a spot in the 4 Nations title game for the U.S., before Canada set up the sequel with its regulation win Monday.

"The message we wanted to send is that it's our time right now. Show that we're not backing down," said Team USA's Matthew Tkachuk, who set a record for the earliest fight in an NHL international game against Canada.

"I didn't hear him say that, but he's trying to make some noise, which he likes to do," Canada goalie Jordan Binnington said. "We're just going to stick to our job here."

Canada finished its job against Finland, although things got a little tense near the end. After conceding a 4-0 lead, Finland scored three goals in the last 7 minutes of the game before Sidney Crosby's empty-netter ended the comeback and sent Canada to the championship final. The U.S. game against Sweden on Monday night was rendered meaningless in the process.

Crosby relished the chance to play the U.S. again.

"You look at the last game and the intensity ... both teams got to know each other pretty well, pretty quickly. It'll be a great challenge," the Pittsburgh Penguins captain said.

Canada entered the 4 Nations Face-Off as the favorite. ESPN BET has the Americans favored in the championship game (-125).

"I don't care who's favored or who's not. We came here to win this," Canada coach Jon Cooper said. "I'm really looking forward to the game. It's why we came here. Regardless if other people think we're underdogs, everybody in that room thinks we have a really, really good chance to win."

Besides the stakes being higher, there will be two big differences in this rematch. Canada will have star defenseman Cale Makar in its lineup after he sat out the game against the U.S. because of an illness. He returned to play a game-high 23 minutes, 57 seconds against Finland.

"That's obviously huge," Crosby said. "He plays all situations and he's so good back there. Obviously gave us a big boost."

The Americans, meanwhile, will have home-ice advantage in front of a partisan crowd at TD Garden in Boston.

"Obviously we had our crowd behind us the last time and they got theirs in a couple of days, so it's going to be exciting," Canada's Brayden Point said.

The environment will be an unusual one for Team Canada star Brad Marchand, who is also captain of the Boston Bruins.

"At the end of the day, I've been booed everywhere. So I'm not too worried about it," he joked Monday.

MacKinnon said Canada can't give the U.S. the chances they gave its opponent last Saturday.

"I just think they're so dangerous. Not a lot was really going on for either team and we kind of gave them a couple looks. They have so much talent that they're going to score," he said. "All the best players in the league are sharing the same ice and the shots are like 20-20. So it just shows that how tight everyone's checking right now. I just think any opportunity we want to make them earn and not give them free chances."

Cooper downplayed the idea that Canada was motivated by a rematch with the Americans more than a 4 Nations championship.

"Even if the U.S. wasn't in the final ... we want in this. We came here for this purpose and now it's 'win one more game.' It just happens to be against the team that beat us after the fireworks that went off on Saturday night," he said. "It should be a pretty good made-for-TV event."

FORT WORTH, Texas -- While Cam Ward hasn't decided if he will throw at the NFL combine next week, the quarterback knows how he will answer any scouts or team personnel who ask him if he quit on the Miami Hurricanes team by not finishing his final game with them.

"OK, you're either going to draft me or you're not," Ward said Monday night before receiving the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's top college quarterback. "If you don't draft me, that's your fault. You've got to remember you're the same team that's got to play me for the rest of my career, and I'll remember that."

Ward was showered with online criticism suggesting that he quit on the Hurricanes after he didn't play the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl, a 42-41 loss to Iowa State, in December. He broke the NCAA Division I record for career touchdown passes before halftime.

The quarterback, who could be the first player selected in the NFL draft in April, said the decision to not play in the second half of that bowl game was predetermined by him and the coaching staff.

"I just think we all got what we needed out of it. They seen things that they think they need to work on ... for this season coming up. And they also knew, you know, what I had on the line," Ward said. "We feel like we're doing what's best for the program and myself. I mean, it was a hard decision, especially when, you know, some guys on our team didn't play who I thought should have played. It was also, you know, those guys thought about their future the same way I thought about mine."

Miami coach Mario Cristobal has defended Ward. Last month, he called the accusations of him quitting on the team "a false narrative."

"If I could do it again, I'd do it the same way," Ward said Monday, though he later added, "I wish we could have ended up winning the game. If we had won the game, they wouldn't have said nothing. And so, that's usually how it goes. And you know, you just got to take it on the chin and just keep pushing."

With the first of his three touchdown passes in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, during which he threw for 190 yards to push Miami to a 31-28 halftime lead, Ward set the Division I -- FBS and FCS -- record at 156 touchdowns, one more than Houston's Case Keenum (2007 to 2011). Miami used Emory Williams at quarterback in the second half, and it has since added former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck as a transfer.

Ward finished his college career with 158 TD passes, and his 18,189 passing yards -- 6,908 at Incarnate Word, 6,968 at Washington State and 4,313 at Miami -- is third most in NCAA history behind only Keenum and Dillon Gabriel. In his lone season with Miami, Ward set single-season school record for yards, completions (305), touchdown passes (39) and completion rate -- both for a season and a career, at 67.2%.

As for the upcoming combine, Ward said he hadn't come up with a plan of what he would do next week in Indianapolis. He does plan to throw at Miami's pro day.

The O'Brien Award ceremony came about three weeks after Ward accepted the Manning Award. He followed Jayden Daniels, the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner who also won both of those quarterback awards before being the No. 2 draft pick last year and then leading the Washington Commanders to the NFC Championship Game.

"To see him succeed," Ward said, "is motivating for not only myself but all of the other quarterbacks."

The Cincinnati Bengals are hoping to pull off an ambitious -- and expensive -- offseason.

The team will attempt to secure a trio of stars who need new deals -- wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson -- for the long term, sources told ESPN.

Whether Cincinnati can pull it off remains uncertain, but the team's messaging behind the scenes is that it's certainly going to try.

That starts with Higgins, who is set to hit free agency March 12. One team source says they believe the Bengals will use the franchise tag on Higgins if no long-term deal is reached by the March 4 tag deadline "in order to have time to get a deal done. Can't let him walk."

Sports Illustrated reported Monday that Cincinnati planned to put the nonexclusive tag on Higgins. This would give the team and player until July 15 to negotiate a long-term deal, and if no deal is reached, Higgins would play on a salary of $26.17 million for 2025. Higgins played under a franchise tag of $21.8 million in 2024, and a second tag, in this case, triggers a 20% increase of the previous payout.

Chase, coming off a triple-crown season for most receiving yards (1,708), touchdowns (17) and receptions (127), will be looking to be the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL -- possibly by a wide margin. And Hendrickson has back-to-back years of 17.5 sacks, leading the league in 2024, at a time when elite pass rushers are making above $30 million per year. The fast-growing pass-rush market also could spark trade movement around the league, especially if the Cleveland Browns entertain Myles Garrett's wishes to play for a new team.

Quarterback Joe Burrow has been vocal this offseason on wanting the Bengals to spend to keep his three star teammates. In an extended interview with the "Pardon My Take" podcast that was released last Wednesday, Burrow was asked to describe how his five-year, $275 million contract extension signed in 2023 could be altered and help give the Bengals extra salary cap flexibility.

"You could convert some of the money to a signing bonus, which will lower the cap hit," Burrow said. "You can push some of the money to the back end of the contract. That lowers the cap hit. And then when you get to the back end of the contract, you can restructure it and convert it to a signing bonus. You can also just take less money."

Later in the interview, Burrow pointed out that most players just convert the money into a signing bonus, a method he said he was willing to pursue.

ESPN's Ben Baby contributed to this report.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards did not participate in Sunday night's All-Star tournament due to a groin injury.

Edwards told reporters he had hoped the injury wouldn't be an issue coming out of the break. The Timberwolves will return to action on Friday at the Houston Rockets.

Edwards' status wasn't announced until after he didn't appear in the first game of the tournament, a 41-32 loss that eliminated Edwards' Team Kenny.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James also was a late scratch for Sunday's event.

Edwards, 23, had been named to his third-straight All-Star team after averaging a career-high 27.5 points this season.

TAMPA, Fla. -- Aaron Judge wasn't that surprised by Juan Soto's decision to sign with the crosstown New York Mets but disagreed with his former teammate about which team is in a better spot to compete for championships.

Soto passed on a competitive offer from the Yankees in favor of a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets this winter, a decision the superstar made in part due to a belief that the Mets gave him the best chance to win over the next 15 years.

"That's his opinion. He can say what he wants. I definitely disagree with him," Judge said. "He's going to be in a great spot. It's going to be great having him in the town. We're going to be battling back and forth for quite a few years."

Judge hit third last year behind Soto and called him "one of a kind" and "a special player." Because Soto changed his phone number, Judge wasn't able to contact Soto until after the decision

"I wasn't too surprised by it. I think that's where he wanted to be. I think that's where is best for him and his family," Judge said. "He got a pretty nice deal over there. I mean, you can't say no to that. But I'm happy for you."

Judge, who turns 33 on April 26, won his second AL MVP award in three years after leading the major leagues last season with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks. He hit .322 as the Yankees reached the World Series for the first time since 2009, only to lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

"Getting to the dance and then losing out on it definitely is a lot worse than not even getting in," Judge said. "So guys are motivated. Guys are ready to go."

Judge dropped Tommy Edman's routine fly to center in World Series Game 5 for his first error of the year as the Yankees blew a 5-0 lead and were eliminated with a 7-6 loss. Dodgers pitcher Joe Kelly said his team had anticipated defensive mistakes by the Yankees.

"We heard that, but there's nothing you can do besides you have to beat them," Judge said. "They won. They can say whatever they want. So if you don't like it, you got to play better."

Judge is likely to play primarily in right field following the acquisition of Cody Bellinger in an offseason trade with the Chicago Cubs. Judge was mostly in center last year.

Judge also addressed the birth last month of his daughter, Nora Rose, saying he feels extra motivation to play well this year.

"Having the chance to have her grow up and watch me do what I love, if there's any way I can inspire her through playing this game to do something special, that's going to be pretty cool," the Yankees captain said.

"I'm getting older," Judge added. "I don't want to be the old man here in a couple of years, so I got to stay on top of my game. So she's definitely going to motivate me, definitely keep me on my toes. and it's going to be a fun couple of years, that's for sure."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and the Diamondbacks are in agreement on a four-year, $45 million contract extension that includes a club option for 2030, sources told ESPN on Monday, locking up the All-Star to a deal that deepens Arizona's already strong core.

The contract starts in the 2026 season and keeps the 25-year-old Perdomo under club control through the 2030 season. He will receive a $5 million signing bonus this year and make $5 million in 2026, $8 million in 2027, $11 million in 2028 and $13 million in 2029, sources said. The option is for $15 million with a $3 million buyout.

Perdomo, who signed with the Diamondbacks for $70,000 in 2016 and will receive a $2.55 million salary on top of his signing bonus this year, shook off a tough rookie season in which he hit .195/.285/.262 to play a vital role in their National League pennant and make the All-Star team in 2023.

Though he appeared in only 98 games last season, Perdomo hit .273/.344/.374 with low strikeout totals and was a strong defensive presence up the middle.

With Perdomo slated to hit free agency after the 2027 season, Arizona committed to him long-term despite its top prospect, Jordan Lawlar, also playing shortstop.

Perdomo is not a power threat -- he has 14 home runs in 1,420 career plate appearances -- but does have excellent plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills. His 11% walk rate ranks 46th of the 303 players with at least 1,000 plate appearances since 2021, and his 17.8% strikeout rate is 69th. Over his career, Perdomo has hit .235/.327/.330 with 125 RBIs and 34 stolen bases in 401 games.

Perdomo joins a Diamondbacks core that includes outfielder Corbin Carroll (signed through 2031), starter Corbin Burnes (2030), second baseman Ketel Marte (2028), left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (2028) and outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (2027). Catcher Gabriel Moreno, right-hander Brandon Pfaadt, outfielders Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas and hard-throwing reliever Justin Martinez all have at least four more years of club control.

Among the Diamondbacks who could reach free agency after this season: right-handers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, first baseman Josh Naylor, third baseman Eugenio Suarez and left-hander Jordan Montgomery.

In the competitive National League West division, the Diamondbacks are widely regarded as the second-best team behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, whom they swept out of the 2023 postseason during their World Series run.