Geopolitics has found a new battleground: on ice.
The U.S. and Canada men’s ice hockey teams, set to play in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament final on Thursday night, have come to represent more than just their athletic skill. On both sides of the border, the rivalry in the rink has been seen by some as an extension of the political tensions between the once-friendly allies.
As President Donald Trump has incensed Canadians with tariff threats and talk of the nation becoming the “51st” U.S. state, fans at a previous game between the neighbors on Saturday in Montreal booed during the playing of the U.S. national anthem, which has become an emerging trend.
“We’re not booing your hockey players. We’re not booing your country. We’re not even booing you,” a Canadian fan posted on X. “We’re booing [Trump] who keeps threatening our sovereignty for zero reason. Once he leaves us alone it’ll stop.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was in attendance, also posted a clip of the crowd standing and boisterously singing the Canadian national anthem, captioning the post that some saw as a dig at his American counterpart with the anthem’s closing words, “We stand on guard for thee.”
The antagonism wasn’t kept to just the stands: players scuffled three times within the first nine seconds of playing time in the game, which ended in a 3-1 victory for the U.S.
The U.S. players involved in the brawls said they simply wanted to send a message—“It’s our time”—to their sporting rivals. But both the violence and triumph were celebrated by Trump supporters online. “AMERICA IS BACK,” proclaimed pro-Trump social media influencer Philip Anderson. “Mr. President, we are still not sick and tired of winning!” posted pro-Trump author Nick Adams.
Bill Guerin, general manager of the U.S. team, said Tuesday on Fox News about the Saturday game: “I think there was a little bit of a political flare to it. It’s just the time that we’re in. I think our guys used that as inspiration.” He added that he would welcome President Donald Trump to the championship game on Thursday. “We’re just trying to represent our country the best way we can,” Guerin said.
Saturday’s game was the most-viewed non-Stanley Cup final telecast since 2019, according to ESPN, and Thursday’s final is certain to crank up the intensity.
The 4 Nations Face-Off is a new best-on-best tournament—featuring top National Hockey League players representing the U.S., Canada, Sweden, and Finland—replacing this year’s NHL annual All-Star game. Historically, Canada has won the past three—and nine of all 13—best-on-best tournaments, according to the NHL, while the U.S. has won once by defeating Canada at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
The tournament’s round-robin games, which began on Feb. 12, have been played in Montreal and Boston. Canada and the U.S., who each won twice and lost once, will go head-to-head again, this time in Boston, for the final on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN and streaming on Disney+.
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