Team USA Hockey Tops Canada After Canadian Fans Boo The National Anthem

Three fights broke out in the first nine seconds of the highly anticipated 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game between Team USA and Team Canada. The rivalry was fueled by the ongoing tariff dispute between the Canadian and U.S. governments after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau initially refused to secure the border, though he ultimately folded a little over 24 hours later.

Prior to the start of the game, fans in Montreal booed the Star Spangled banner. Canadian hockey and basketball fans have been consistently booing the national anthem ahead of games against U.S. teams in the weeks following the tariff dispute.

Just two seconds into Saturday night’s game, Matthew Tkachuk of Team USA and Brandon Hagel of Team Canada dropped gloves and started fighting. Brady Tkachuk and Sam Bennett then fought during the next face-off, followed by JT Miller and Colton Parayko, who squared off for the third of three fights within nine seconds. The third fight devolved into a scrum that involved just about every member of both teams.

Canada coach Jon Cooper denied speculation that the fights were pre-planned. “That wasn’t two coaches throwing guys over and saying ‘this is happening’ – none of that happened,” he said. “That was as organic as it gets.”

Canada boos the US anthem.

Three fights in first nine seconds.

Massive hits.

🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
pic.twitter.com/rSqIOBf0o4

— Will Cain (@willcain) February 16, 2025

The game marked the first time that the US and Canada had been on the ice in a best-on-best format since 2016 in the World Cup of Hockey. Team USA went on to score three unanswered goals, seemingly undeterred by the hostile environment, and ultimately won the game by a final score of 3-1.

With the win, Team USA earned a spot in the championship game on Thursday in Boston. Depending on the way things break down, they could be facing off against Canada once again for the title.“It was, I guess, 10 years of no international hockey exhaled in a minute and a half,” Cooper told reporters.

Dylan Larkin, who scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, described the game as one of the best experiences of his life. “The Tkachuk brothers and Millsy [Miller], what a start, and credit to those guys for answering the bell. And the crowd, just a great night for our sport and a great night for this rivalry.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was one of several Canadian leaders who was in the crowd for the thrashing. “We stand on guard for thee,” the prime minister wrote in an X post alongside a video of him sporting a red national team jersey. “Damn proud of this country,” Trudeau added in a follow-up post after the national anthem.