A game that started with a fight, ended with an injury for one of Team USA’s best players at the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off on Saturday at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Matthew Tkachuk, who earned the first star as Team USA’s player of the game in their win against Finland, opened Saturday’s game against Canada by fighting Brandon Hagel.

But with 12:36 left in the third period, he motioned to the coaching staff as he went to the bench, indicating an injury. He didn’t return for the rest of the Americans’ 3-1 win over Finland.

Tkachuk didn’t go to the locker room, but is usually the protocol for an injured player. But the Florida Panthers star who is an alternate captain for Team USA watched the rest of the game from the end of the bench.

He played 11:10 over 17 shifts before the injury.

Boxford’s Chris Kreider has been Team USA’s healthy-scratch forward over the first two games. He’d slot into the lineup if Matthew Tkachuk can’t play.

Because Team USA has already secured a spot in the final, coach Mike Sullivan can afford to be cautious with Tkachuk and potentially save him for Thursday’s final.