Editor's note: The U.S. and Canadian men's hockey teams met for a highly-anticipated preliminary contest at the 2022 Winter Olympics Friday night. To relive the action between the U.S. and Canada, check out our live blog of the clash below, or click here for a full game recap. Stream the rest of the men's hockey games on Peacock or here on NBCOlympics.com. 

0:00 - The third period has begun with the U.S. up 3-2 after a middle frame that saw the teams exchange goals. The U.S. is out-shooting Canada 22-20.

0:07 - Eric Staal is back in the penalty box after slashing Aaron Ness. Ness gets off the ice slowly and is being tended to by the U.S. medical staff.

2:10 - Canada kills off the second U.S. power play of the game and keeps their opponents at bay with zero shots on that man advantage.

5:29 - A good chance in front for the U.S. as Nathan Smith redirects a pass from the boards but Ed Pasquale comes up big again for Canada to keep it a 3-2 score.

6:13 - GOAL! USA 4-2. A big goal for the Americans as Kenny Agostino's bomb from between the circles squeaks through Pasquale to double the lead. Great work by captain Andy Miele on the zone entry and then to force a turnover and drop a nice pass to set up Agostino's shot.

7:00 - This has been a tough game for Pasquale in the Canada net with two goals he'll for sure want back. Don't be surprised to see Claude Julien turn to Devon Levi for their final group game against China on Sunday.

13:20 - Canada continues to search for a way back into this game down two with less than seven minutes to play.

13:54 - A hooking call sends Matt Knies to the box to give Canada a power play down 4-2 late in the third period.

15:23 - Canada will have a 5-on-3 advantage for 31 seconds after Steven Kampfer is called for high-sticking as Canada continues pressing for a goal.

17:24 - The two U.S. penalties expire as the Americans remain perfect in the tournament (7-for-7) on the penalty kill. Canada came close but Mason McTavish's shot hit the crossbar. Strauss Mann made seven stops during the extended power plays.

20:00 - FINAL! USA 4, CANADA 2. The U.S. now sits atop Group A with six points while Canada is in second with three. They will finish the preliminary round on Sunday against Germany. The win is just the fourth for the American men over Canada at the Olympics and their first since the group stage in 2010 Vancouver.

0:00 - Second period begins with the U.S. holding a 2-1 lead.

0:53 - Mason McTavish decides to take the shot on a 2-on-1 with Kent Johnson but fires the puck well-wide of Strauss Mann's net.

2:00 - Some star power in the house to watch the U.S., including snowboarding legend Shaun White.

2:37 - GOAL! USA 3-1. Brendan Brisson nets his second of the tournament. Canadian goaltender Edward Pasquale gets stripped of the puck behind his net by Nathan Smith. Nick Shore is there along the back boards to fire a pass out front to Brisson to double the U.S. lead.

5:17 - The U.S. is keeping the pressure on and controlling the game. A Canadian turnover in their defensive zone leads to a great chance for Brian O'Neill, the only member of the American roster who was on the team for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. Pasquale managed the save to keep the deficit to two.

8:42 - A quick zone exit by Canada winds up on Eric Staal's stick, but the former NHL veteran's shot is swallowed up by U.S. goaltender Strauss Mann.

11:11 - O'Neill with an opportunity driving to the net, but he's denied by Pasquale's pad, while taking a hit from Canada defenseman Alex Grant.

12:30 - The first penalty of the game is taken by Canada forward Eric Staal after elbowing Matty Beniers while going off for a line change. The U.S. is 2-for-4 this tournament on the power play.

14:13 - GOAL! CANADA 3-2. Beniers tried to find Brendan Brisson with a cross-ice pass, but it was blocked by Daniel Winnik. That led to a two-on-one with Winnik and Corban Knight with Knight finishing off with a shorthanded tally to cut the U.S. lead to a goal.

17:40 - A power play opportunity for the U.S. gave them the chance to take a commanding lead. Instead, it's been all Canada since the shorthanded goal as we near the end of the second period.

18:17 - Now it's Canada going on the power play as Kenny Agostino takes a penalty for charging. The U.S. holds a 3-2 lead.

18:52 - Canada comes so close to tying the score. A Maxim Noreau shot from the point deflected on its way in and rang off the crossbar behind Strauss Mann.

20:00 - End of two periods and the U.S. clings to 3-2 lead. Canada will have 18 seconds of power play time to begin the final period.

0:00 - We're under way. Jake Sanderson, the Ottawa Senators draft pick whose arrival in Beijing was delayed due to a COVID-19 positive test, is in the lineup and will start in a pairing with Brian Cooper.

Claude Julien takes over from Jeremy Colliton behind the Canada bench. Julien missed the opening game after suffering a rib injury just before the tournament began.

1:24 - GOAL! CANADA 1-0. A blocked pass in the U.S. zone slid out to the side boards where it was picked up by Mat Robinson. Not breaking stride, Robinson fired it on net and it went five-hole on Strauss Mann. Not a good goal to allow so early in an important game.

2:34 - GOAL! USA 1-1. Canada's lead didn't last for long as captain Andy Miele ties it up. The Americans used speed through the neutral zone to create odd-man rush. With the passing lane to Kenny Agostino blocked, Miele took himself and went backhand shield on Pasquale to make it 1-1.

4:39 - Some sloppiness by the U.S. behind their net as a turnover nearly leads to a Canada goal but Adam Tambellini's opportunity is denied in front by Mann.

6:23 - This matchup features some future NHL talent with four of the top five selections from the 2021 draft. Owen Power (D, No. 1 overall, Buffalo), Mason McTavish (C, No. 3 overall, Anaheim) and Kent Johnson (C/W, No. 5 overall, Columbus) are playing for Canada, while Matty Beniers (C, No. 2 overall, Seattle) is suiting up for the U.S.

11:07 - Turnovers really preventing the U.S. from getting some sustained pressure or putting Canada on their heels. Canada leads 11-3 in shots midway through the period with the score still knotted at one.

14:40 - The NHL-size ice has made this a fast-paced game so far. It also means turnovers in bad areas will quickly lead to chances the other way as Matty Beniers found out after losing the puck in the U.S. zone -- an error that resulted in another Canadian scoring chance.

15:19 - Jake Sanderson looks very comfortable on the U.S. blue line despite his late arrival to Beijing. His play at the point led to two scoring chances, including one right in front by Nick Abruzzese, which was denied via a Pasquale pad save.

18:44 - GOAL! USA 2-1. Sanderson again have an impact in the game as his zone entry leads to a U.S. goal. Sean Farrell collected a loose puck and fed Ben Meyers, who quickly fired it under Pasquale for the lead.

20:00 - That's it for the opening period. After a sluggish start, the U.S. took 10 of the final 11 shots in the period and will go into the break holding a 2-1 lead on goals by Andy Miele and Ben Meyers.

The U.S. and Canada meet tonight at the Beijing National Indoor Stadium for Group A action in the men’s tournament. The winner of this game will have the edge in the race for the top seed in the group.

Both teams won their opening matchup and the Americans hold a goal differential advantage of plus-4.

Sean Farrell (five points) and goaltender Drew Commesso (29 saves) stood out in the U.S. 8-0 win over China. According to USA hockey, Farrell’s five points were the second most for an American at the Olympics since 1956. It was also the first hat trick for a U.S. player since Phil Kessel in 2014.

Strauss Mann will get the start in goal for the U.S. Canada will go back to Edward Pasquale, who made 24 saves in Canada's opening game win over Germany.

These two teams finish group play on Sunday with the U.S. taking on Germany and Canada playing China.

This game can be streamed on NBCOlympics.com, the NBC Sports app and Peacock, and it is televised nationally on USA Network.