Mitch Marner authored his own historic moment when he buried the overtime winner for Canada against Sweden in the opener of the 4 Nations Face-Off.
But if that game had been played under normal NHL rules, Marner's goal never would have happened.
The NHL has implemented a new 10-minute three-on-three overtime period for the 4 Nations Face-Off, giving the game's best players more time to try to settle the score before a shootout.
Marner's game-winner came just over six minutes into the extra frame.
Speaking after the 4-3 win, Oilers captain and Canada star Connor McDavid said he hopes the NHL considers adding the extra time to the regular season.
"I think it's a great kind of trial run," McDavid said of the 10-minute overtime. "Something I think the players liked, the fans liked it. It felt a little more like it's in our hands. I don't think really anyone wants it to go to a shootout, so good thing we were able to find one there."
Nathan MacKinnon, however, sees things a little differently than McDavid.
"No," MacKinnon said with a laugh when asked if he'd like to see 10-minute overtimes in the NHL. "We were actually just talking about that in the room, maybe seven (minutes). I usually feel better than that normally."
The Colorado Avalanche star also said that his exhaustion may have had something to do with him opting not to pass to McDavid on a two-on-one in OT.
"I can't believe I looked off Connor on that two-on-one, honestly," MacKinnon said. "But I could barely see I was so tired on that rush, so I was happy when Marner scored because I didn't have much left to give. So yeah, five-to-seven (minutes) would be good."
MacKinnon might not be on board, but if every 10-minute OT looked like Wednesday nights, most hockey fans would probably be more than fine with the change.
