Matthew Tkachuk laughed at Brandon Hagel saying Canadian players "don't have any group chats going on" after Americans texted about plans for game-opening fights before winning Saturday's 4 Nations Face-Off rivalry matchup.

The highly anticipated game Saturday night between the United States and Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off started with three fights in the first nine seconds. Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel dropped the gloves just after the puck was dropped to start play.

Team Canada's Brandon Hagel said fighting Team USA's Matthew Tkachuk was "for the flag," not "for the cameras," on Saturday in their 4 Nations Face-Off game.

On a team of superstars, players such as Brandon Hagel can get overlooked. That is just as true with the Tampa Bay Lightning as it is with Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off. So, Hagel took advantage of an off day at the tournament to step into the spotlight and throw some gas on what was already a raging bonfire ahead of Canada’s rematch with the United States in Thursday’s tournament final.

Hagel dropped the gloves with Team USA's Matthew Tkachuk as soon as the puck hit the center-ice face-off dot, and that kicked off a chain reaction. All of that ruckus was preceded by Canadian fans booing the U.

Canada is taking its 4 Nations Face-Off victory lap to a place its U.S. rivals know quite well. Not long after topping Team USA in overtime on Thursday in a dazzling championship clash, 3-2, Canadian forward and Lightning star Brandon Hagel took to his Instagram Stories and shared a screenshot of the victors’ group chat — a digital element that became a point of contention between the clubs during the tournament.

Brandon Hagel was on the ice for the opening face-off when Team USA and Team Canada battled on Saturday. Within seconds, his gloves were off and he was exchanging a flurry of punches with United States alternate captain,

When the puck dropped in Montreal’s Bell Centre on Saturday night, Team Canada’s Brandon Hagel dropped his gloves along with Team USA’s Matthew Tkachuk. It was the first of three fights that took place between the hockey rivals in nine seconds for their 4 Nations Face-Off matchup.

Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel don't seem to be done sparring with one another, throwing shots ahead of Thursday's 4 Nations final.

Canada's Brandon Hagel (38) and United States' Noah Hanifin (15) battle in front of goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) during third period of 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game in Montreal on Saturday, Feb.

Ahead of Thursday's 4 Nations Face-Off title game, Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel continued to trade chirps at TD Garden.

Team USA's Matthew Tkachuk and Canada's Brandon Hagel, who traded punches on Saturday night, are now trading barbs ahead of Thursday's 4 Nations Face-Off championship in Boston.