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.

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

Auston Matthews and Team USA lost in OT against Team Canada in the 4 Nations Finals and the Leafs captain has finally commented on his feelings about losing.

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

But there can only be one winner, and for Leafs captain Auston Matthews, he was on the losing end as part of Team USA. Looking ahead to the season, Matthews took umbrage with a reporter's absurd question ahead of Saturday's game.

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.

Auston Matthews' Team USA lost 3-2 in overtime against Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off final at TD Garden on Thursday.