Just another game or is world hockey supremacy on the line as the United States and Canada square off in the Four Nations Faceoff Championship game? Greg Wyshynski from ESPN helps break down the significance but also delves into the "secret sauce" the NHL may have come upon with this upgrade of a mid-season event.

Once the tournament completes and the regular season ramps back up over the weekend, the importance of goals becomes heightened with March approaching. Matthew Blittner, co-author of "Game Winners: The Greatest Game-Winning Goals in Hockey History" joins us to discuss the recently-released book.

With so much focus on the present and future of international hockey, The Human Side of the Story takes a nostalgic look back at a much simpler time - where the unassuming voice of a PA announcer brought back rich memories for both Neil and Vic in their respective youths.

IN THIS EPISODE:

[01:02] - The Four Nations Faceoff dominates "Three Things You to Pay Attention To" from Canada securing their date with the USA to injuries creeping their way into the Americans lineup to encouraging TV ratings.

[06:00] - Greg Wyshynski from ESPN joins Neil and Vic and discusses the success the Four Nations Faceoff is enjoying in place of an All-Star event and what it may mean for best-on-best play going forward.

[12:30] - With the NHL having found a compelling mid-season event, the NBA is being looked out to see how they might enhance their mid-season showcase event.

[15:44] - The significance of this game for both Canada and the United States. With a USA win, will the torch have been passed after a period of time going back to the 19th century?

[22:19] - With injuries becoming a story with Team USA heading into the Final, the effect on NHL teams now becomes a reality for general managers.

[27:40] - Matt Blittner, Co-Author of "Game Winners: The Greatest Game-Winning Goals in Hockey History" joins the show. In collaboration with Russ Cohen, Matt discusses the concept of the book, criteria used to determine what made the cut and how the final rankings came to be.

[35:39] - Some healthy debate on goals noted in the book...and those that aren't.

[44:56] - Vic and Neil exchange views on how they feel about the Four Nations Faceoff now that the round-robin games have been completed.

[50:12] - The Human Side of the Story takes a warm look back to yesteryear following the passing of long time Maple Leafs public address announcer Paul Morris

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgBj1LV0-DMfBhcRPSJZLjA

X: https://twitter.com/NHLWraparound

Neil Smith: https://twitter.com/NYCNeil

Vic Morren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vic-morren-7038737/

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