The return of goalie Carey Price after his lengthy layoff because of a right knee injury was supposed to be the main story in Canada's World Cup of Hockey two exhibition games over the weekend.
But sharing the spotlight with the Price plot was the chippy nature in which the U.S. side met its North American rivals with during a 4-2 win in Columbus on Friday and 5-2 loss to Canada in Ottawa on Saturday.
United States general manager Dean Lombardi remarked in constructing his roster that he wanted toughness and a collection of players best suited to beat Canada, which has won the past two Olympics as well as the 2015 and 2016 IIHF World Championships.
The United States players did their best to exhibit their toughness.
Kesler making life difficult for Canadians
Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler was particularly noticeable for the rough stuff. He ran Canadian defenceman Shea Weber from behind late in the second period of the first game to earn a five-minute major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct.
Canadian forward Logan Couture was the victim of a questionable hit from behind from U.S. speedster T.J. Oshie and Couture also took a knee from Brandon Dubinsky in a goal-mouth scramble.
Canada's Claude Giroux needed to visit the dressing room after he was crunched by U.S. forward Joe Pavelski.
Canadian forwards John Tavares and Joe Thornton were able to get the better of Kesler in the return game on Saturday with a pair of hits.
Price, meanwhile, had the night off in Ottawa after his 21-save effort in Columbus. He remarked in his post-game scrum on Friday that he felt his first game back was an adventure.
"It was a little bit of an adventure at times, but I kind of expected that," the 29-year-old Price said. "It's not easy to be out for that long and just pick it up right away. I knew there was going to be some work to do, but I'm glad to get that one over with."
Lengthy recovery process
Price suffered his right MCL sprain on Nov. 25. The Montreal Canadiens initially predicted their standout netminder would miss six weeks. But six weeks stretched into six months.
The Canadiens' goalie, whose wife Angela gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter, in early May, worked himself back into shape in the summer and his Canada teammates had remarked all week in practice how sharp Price appeared.
This isn't the first time Price has rebounded from injuries. Groin ailments cut short his 2013 and 2014 playoff runs.
In Columbus, he allowed goals from Zach Parise and Patrick Kane in a busy 17-shot first period. Parise's was a deflection, while Kane stuffed in his own rebound.
The only goal Price could have been faulted for was the rebound he gave Pavelski late in the second period that allowed the United States to go ahead 3-1.
"The third period I started feeling good, finally," Price said. "I wasn't really expecting to go in there and play like I was in the middle of November. It was nice to get my feet wet."
Canada looking for Sochi-esque results
Price likely will play in Canada's final exhibition tune-up against Russia in Pittsburgh on Wednesday and then he'll have two more days before Canada opens the eight-team tournament against the Czech Republic on Saturday.
Canada will need the kind of goaltending Price provided at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, when he allowed only three goals in five games and registered two shutouts, including a 24-save performance against the Sweden in the 3-0 gold-medal final.
"I knew I was ready," Price said of his comeback game against the United States. "I just don't think my game was quite ready. I've got some more work to do. I've got a long time before my next start, hopefully."
Carey Price's big adventure during chippy series vs. U.S.
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