BEIJING — Canada and the United States are fierce hockey rivals — no matter the setting.

Sidney Crosby, Tony Amonte, Cammi Granato, Hayley Wickenheiser and a host of others have etched their names in the struggle for continental supremacy.

Monday afternoon at Beijing's National Indoor Stadium won't make any top-10 lists or likely even be remembered — there were no referees, a clock or a scorekeeper — but the countries' Olympic men's teams went just about as hard as they could in a controlled scrimmage with the tournament just around the corner.

There were hits, big saves, a bit of blood spilled and a level of mutual respect.

"We just needed to play," Canadian head coach Jeremy Colliton said. "We wanted the game and tried some different things."

It was, however, an awkward position for both sides, which are set to compete in Group A and scrambling to prepare. Canada plays Germany in its opener Thursday, while the U.S. meets China before the North Americans go at it for real Saturday.

"Probably not perfect," Colliton said. "We're working together. We're using them to prepare ourselves and vice versa."

The teams played two scoreless periods before the U.S. finally found the back of the net in 3-on-3 overtime.

"We're both in the same position," U.S. head coach David Quinn said following both teams' first live action. "There's not going to be a lot of secrets."

Colliton and Quinn recently coached in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers, respectively, so that helped them formulate a plan. The teams got two power plays each and worked extensively at 5-on-5.

Officiating was done by Canadian taxi squad members Chris DiDomenico and John Gilmour, who were mostly there to keep a loose order.

"I think we're doing all right," Gilmour said to DiDomenico with a laugh during one break.

"I was unsure about the game going in," said U.S. forward Justin Abdelkader. "I've never played in something like this without (actual) refs. I was impressed."

Canada brought a speaker out for warmups inside the cavernous venue — which hosted artistic gymnastics, trampoline and handball at the 2008 Summer Olympics — in front of a handful of reporters, volunteers and officials.

"(The music) wasn't quite loud enough," joked Canadian captain Eric Staal, who skated on the top line between Mason McTavish and Josh Ho-Sang. "But the effort's there."

The impatient Zamboni drivers on a tight schedule — an early hallmark of practices in Beijing — honked at players to get off the ice so they could get to their resurfacing work.

"All part of the experience," Canadian forward Adam Cracknell said. "Something a lot of us won't forget."

McTavish, who played nine games with the Anaheim Ducks this season, rocked U.S. defenceman Brock Faber of the NCAA's University of Minnesota on the first shift to set the tone.

"It's a grown man's game," said Faber, who like the majority of his team plays college hockey. "Wasn't necessarily expecting it, but it was a good wakeup call."

Canadian forward Jordan Weal took a high stick later in the scrimmage that drew blood, but he quickly returned.

"That's just guys having fire," Cracknell said of the intensity.

"Canada-U.S. is always heated," added Staal, who won gold at the 2010 Olympics on Crosby's overtime goal against the U.S. "You had to try and temper that."

One lineup note for Canada was that Edward Pasquale and Matt Tomkins split the net, leaving Devon Levi, who's putting up incredible numbers this season with Northeastern University in the NCAA, in street clothes.

"By no means does that mean he's out of the picture," Colliton said of the 20-year-old. "We have confidence in him. We wouldn't have brought him if we didn't think he can play.

"I can't tell you how it's gonna play out."

At least one thing was clear Monday — both teams left the rink satisfied.

"We didn't want a no-hitter," Colliton said. "But we also didn't want it to be a runaway either, especially with no refs ... the game probably ended at the right time.

"If we would have played another period, I'm not sure how it would have went."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2022.

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