After starting the first two games on the bench, Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark came on in relief of starter Filip Gustavsson in Sweden's overtime loss to Finland.

Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark might have a chance to start on Monday night as Team Sweden faces first-place Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off. That's the good news. The bad news is that the game might end up meaning absolutely nothing.

Former Senator Filip Gustavsson started the first two games for Sweden but left Saturday night's game due to illness. Ullmark came on in relief and stopped 15 of 17 shots, but the 17th—taken by Mikael Granlund—gave Finland a 4-3 overtime win.

During an odd-man rush, Granlund carried the puck all the way up the ice and fooled Ullmark into thinking he was about to pass. The Sens goalie appeared to be preparing to move to his right, leaving the five-hole wide open for Granlund.

Team Sweden will now face Team USA in Boston on Monday night. After losing two straight games in overtime, the Swedes may opt to make a change in goal, even if Gustavsson is ready. But Sweden coach Sam Hallam isn’t tipping his hand at this point.

No matter who starts, there's a better-than-average chance that the game will be rendered meaningless by the outcome of Monday afternoon’s Canada-Finland game. 

Historically, about four out of five NHL games are decided in regulation, and if that happens with Canada-Finland, Ullmark and the Swedes are done. With a regulation win, either Canada or Finland will clinch a spot in the final against the United States.

Even if the early game does go to the overtime or shootout that the Swedes need, they still face the unenviable task of needing to win in regulation against a piping hot Team USA. American goalie Connor Hellebuyck has allowed just two goals and has a save percentage of .957. No other goalie in the tournament has a save percentage above .900. And the Americans will want to put on a show for their home fans.

There’s a chance they could give their star goalie the night off, but they do have two beauties right behind him in Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman. Oettinger has been the guy on America's bench as the backup, but Swayman versus Ullmark in Boston would be a pretty great storyline.

Here are the clinching scenarios for Monday’s action, courtesy of NHL.com:

Canada will clinch a berth in the 4 Nations Face-Off final:

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Finland will clinch a berth in the 4 Nations Face-Off final:

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Sweden will clinch a berth in the 4 Nations Face-Off final:

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Canada will face Finland at 1 pm on Monday in Boston, then the Swedes will take to the ice against the United States at 8 pm.

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