Still, Team Canada got the start it wanted at with a 4-2 win over Finland on Tuesday.

“It was awesome,” said forward Drake Batherson, who scored one of Canada’s goals. “It was my first international game and with all the fans here, and my family here, it was a great experience.”

Boris Katchouk, Sam Steel and Taylor Raddysh also scored for Canada. Goalie Carter Hart got the win against a Finland squad that’s expected to score a lot of goals.

It is sometimes lost that these are teenagers playing on the biggest stage of their career. While much was made that Canada has seven returning players from last year’s silver-medal winning squad, it also means there are 15 participating for the first time.

And it showed, even though Canada got off to a 3-1 lead in the first period.

“Any time you’re in the first game of a playoff round, or the first game of a tournament, it’s quite often the one where the focus is harder to get, guys are excited all day,” Team Canada coach Dominique Ducharme said. “That’s draining physically, and also mentally.

“I thought our focus was not as good as the last two (exhibition) games we played. That’s part of getting into a tournament. From there, we have something to build on.

The only thing you need to see, is this save by Cal Foote. Tampa is getting a heady player. 

Word is when Carter Hart skated over he said “thank you very much”, Foote responded “you make way more saves than I do, so thank you”. Good shit, 1-0, to the gold we go!

Oh my god what a save by Cal Foote pic.twitter.com/GzjXLTYmn7

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) December 26, 2017