Political and Hockey Tensions Collide as US Beats Canada in Fiery Game
The US defeated Canada 3-1 in a fiercely contested 4 Nations Face-Off game on Saturday, but the scoreline wasn’t the only thing grabbing attention.
The highly anticipated matchup at Montreal’s Bell Centre erupted into chaos almost immediately, with three fights breaking out within the first nine seconds of play. The intense rivalry was further fueled by a partisan home crowd booing the US national anthem before the puck drop, amid ongoing political tensions between the two countries.
The first fight came just two seconds in, with Canada’s Brandon Hagel squaring off against Matthew Tkachuk of the US.
One second later, Tkachuk’s brother, Brady, and Canada’s Sam Bennett followed suit, dropping their gloves in a heated exchange.
The third fight erupted six seconds later, as Colton Parayko and JT Miller went toe-to-toe.
US head coach Mike Sullivan praised his players’ passion, calling the physicality an indicator of their commitment to representing their countries.
“There’s two teams out there that are very competitive, that have a ton of pride for their respective teams and their countries,” Sullivan said. “What an incredible hockey game.”
Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper, a two-time Stanley Cup winner, insisted the fights were not orchestrated but rather a natural display of raw emotions.
“That wasn’t two coaches throwing guys over and saying ‘This is happening’ – none of that happened. That was as organic as it gets,” Cooper said.
The intensity on the ice mirrored the rising political tensions between Canada and the US. President Donald Trump’s recent tariff announcements and his suggestion that Canada could become the 51st US state have only heightened the already fierce sports rivalry between the two nations.
Booing the US anthem has become increasingly common at NHL and NBA games in Canada, and Saturday’s game was no exception, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in attendance.
Despite the early fireworks, the US took control of the game, securing a spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off final with goals from Jake Guentzel (2) and Dylan Larkin. Connor McDavid was the lone goal scorer for Canada.
Canada will now face Finland on Monday in their final pool-stage match, while the US takes on Sweden.