Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews stood silently after the 4 Nations Face-Off concluded. Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid won gold for Canada

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.

Mitch Marner, whose fingerprints were on two goals including Connor McDavid’s winner, won the border war against Auston Matthews, in a Boston barn where Toronto was eliminated three times in a first-round Game 7 series in which he and Matthews had little consolation of being their team’s leading scorer.

Team USA captain Auston Matthews has had a quiet 4 Nations Face-Off so far. In the 4 Nations Face-Off final, Matthews faces an important career signpost.

Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube had a bit of a chuckle on Thursday when he was asked whether he would consider giving captain Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner a rest for Toronto’s first game, on Saturday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes, following the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Team USA captain Auston Matthews will return to the lineup for Thursday’s championship final against Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. “There’s no way I was missing this game,” Matthews said Wednesday per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox,

Auston Matthews isn't known for playing well in must-win games, but he'll need to change that trend for Team USA.

Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews will square off again at the 4 Nations Face-Off final, with national pride and bragging rights on the line. Marner scored

USA head coach Sullivan expects Auston Matthews to play 4 Nations Face-Off final, but admits McAvoy loss 'tough'