The Canada vs. America beef has been getting deeper and deeper and it finally hit its tipping point on one of the biggest sports stages of all. It started last year first with Drake and Kendrick in the rap space. Then after Trump won the U.S. Presidency over Kamala Harris, he started to openly disrespect Canada, even going as far as saying Canada should become the 51st state, igniting the issues in the political space. Now yesterday in athletic space, fists were flying during NHL All-Star weekend.
This past weekend was the 4 Nations Face-Off for NHL All-Star weekend and the animosity between Canadians and Americans could not be hidden. Before a puck was even dopped, Canadian fans in Montreal’s Bell Center booed the American national anthem for the second time in three days, and Team USA was fed up about it. It first started Thursday Feb. 14, when the Canadians who attended Team USA’s 6-1 win over Finland booed “The Star-Spangled Banner.” When Canadian fans did it again, this time before the puck dropped for Team USA vs Team Canada, Americans showed why they are considered maybe the most patriotic nation in the world.
USA takes fight to Canada
As soon as the opening puck drop happened, Matthew Tkachuk of the reigning champion Florida Panthers, went straight to Canadian Brandon Hagel and initiated the first fight right off the bat. The following time the puck was dropped, three seconds in, Brady, Tkachuk’s younger brother, followed his older brother’s example and engaged in a brawl with Sam Bennet of Canada. A few seconds later, following an illegal cross-check, J.T. Miller dropped hands with Colton Parayko, and the two engaged in a fight to conclude a total of three fights in nine seconds of actual game time.
After the altercation, the Americans had all the momentum and defeated their fiercest rival 3-1.
“We needed to send a message,” stated American Matthew Tkachuk after he eliminated Brandon Hagel of Canada in the first faceoff. “The message we wanted to send is ‘It’s our time.'”
The drama worked and may be something the NHL will think about leaning into. With three fights in the first nine seconds of Saturday’s match between Team USA and Team Canada, social media was in a frenzy. In the United States, the matchup attracted 4.4 million viewers and peaked at 5.2 million. According to ESPN, it was the most watched hockey telecast of a non-Stanley Cup Final since 2019.
The U.S. secured its place in the 4 Nations Face-Off final with the 3-1 victory. On Monday, they will play Sweden in the last match of the group round, and Canada will play Finland with the winner getting the chance to face USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off Final.
USA vs. Canada started off in MADNESS 😳
📺: ABC/ESPN+/Disney+ pic.twitter.com/BrWlXzMb7J
— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2025
