This was always meant to happen. Canada and the USA, currently the two most dominant hockey nations in the world, will face off on Sunday for an Olympic gold medal. There’s no doubt these are the two best hockey teams in the world, but there is some debate on who is number one. It’s hard to say that a one-game elimination scenario will truly decide who the better team is, but that shouldn’t stop these squads from putting everything on the line for hockey’s ultimate bragging rights.

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So here are five prominent headlines that I’ll be keeping a close eye on during the final showdown.

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Mac 3

Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Macklin Celebrini might be the three best forwards in the entire Olympic Games, and now they’re playing on the same line. Simply put, no team in the tournament possesses the talent to match Canada’s top trio, not even close. There’s been some chatter about the lack of supporting help from Canada’s depth forwards, but the play of the “Mac 3” line has lifted the Canadian offence to a berth in the gold medal game, and should be more than capable of dominating any matchup the USA throws their way.

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Which Line Steps Up

Mac 3 will certainly attempt to carry the Canadian offence as far as they can, but others will likely need to step up if they wish to take down an equally loaded USA roster. Other players have had their moments in the tournament so far, and I think there’s a trio who have the ability to add another. Mitch Marner, Nick Suzuki, and Mark Stone have been an intriguing line to watch since Sidney Crosby’s unfortunate injury. The line is made up of some of the very best defensive forwards in the NHL, and they’ve done a terrific job of limiting opposing chances. There’s never much worry about conceding when this trio sees the ice, but I think there’s a lot more in their tank offensively. Marner and Suzuki have both contributed monumental goals to Canada’s gold medal quest thus far, and I believe this is the line to watch for an important depth goal on Sunday.

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Hellebuyck Vs Binnington

This might be the most influential man-to-man matchup in this game. Both goaltenders have performed well to this point, but they also come with questions that could raise some doubts about their ability to perform in the tournament’s most important game. Connor Hellebuyck is arguably the best goaltender on planet earth. Although his play with the Jets this season has been less than what’s expected of him, he’s looked the part so far in Italy, and when he’s on top of his game, he just might be the best player on the Americans’ roster. Binnington is a more interesting case. Having a terrible season in St Louis, but the Canadian front office felt confident enough to not only select him to the roster, but name him the starter. He’s been fine in the tournament so far, but I’m less confident that Binnington can steal a gold medal than I am Hellebuyck. Either way, these two will play massive roles in deciding which medal their country receives.

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Special Teams

The American penalty kill is perfect, and the Canadian power play is among the most talented units the sport has ever seen. So what will give in on Sunday?

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Special teams tend to swing results in a one-game elimination setting. One goal from the power play, or a perfect night from the penalty kill, could be the difference in the final result. Even more, a game of this magnitude could see momentum switches dictate the tempo of play at any given time. Both special teams units are filled with premier talent who know how to specialize in those areas, which should make for an incredible chess match between the players and the coaching staffs. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a key special teams moment be the difference in this game.

D Core Advantage

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I’ve already discussed the potential impact of Canada’s dominant top forward line, so I wanted to highlight the clear advantage of the American roster, as well, their D core. Canada’s defensive unit has heard some concern from fans and media members as this tournament has progressed, with many criticizing the inclusion of players like Colton Parayko, Drew Doughty, and Travis Sanheim over more offensive-minded blueliners like Matthew Schaefer and Evan Bouchard. For the Americans, that hasn’t really been an issue. Quinn Hughes and Zack Werenski are two of the most gifted offensive Dmen in the world, while others like Brock Faber, Charlie McAvoy, and Jake Sanderson are more than Capable of moving pucks and contributing to the teams attack. The defence core always felt like the true strength of this American roster, and they’ll lean on it to lead this group to a gold medal.