Fans booed the national anthem, and you won’t believe what happened next
The playing of the national anthem before sporting events is a ritual.
But not on this night.
And fans booed the national anthem, and you won’t believe what happened next.
The National Hockey League’s new all-star game format turned out to be a massive hit in more ways than one.
For the 2025 All Star game, the NHL adopted a Four Nations round robin format where all stars from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States competed for a trophy.
Canada and the United States met in a group play contest on Saturday night at the Bell Center in Montreal, Canada, the beating heart of Canada’s national obsession with hockey.
The game got off to an ugly start as Canadian fans booed the playing of the national anthem.
Major FAFO moment from Canada
They booed our national anthem – and then got SHELLACKED.
This is Trump’s America. Oh, and this was an away game.pic.twitter.com/4LsgUW5ueT
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 16, 2025
Canadians – who pride themselves on their politeness – disgraced themselves by jeering the national anthem to protest Donald Trump threatening tariffs against Canada over Canada treating America unfairly in trade and failing to secure the northern border.
But the Americans got the last laugh.
J.T. Miller joined the brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk in dropping the gloves and starting three fights in the first nine seconds of the game.
Canada boos the US anthem.
Three fights in first nine seconds.
Massive hits.
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸
pic.twitter.com/rSqIOBf0o4— Will Cain (@willcain) February 16, 2025
Canada lost the battle and the war.
After Edmonton’s Connor McDavid opened the scoring to give Canada a 1-0 lead, Jake Guentzel of the Tampa Bay Lighting scored two goals as the Americans defeated Canada 3-1 in the most sacred ground in Canadian hockey.
Brady Tkachuk told reporters after the game coming out swinging was something he, his brother and Miller discussed prior to the game.
“There was a group chat going on today,” Tkachuk stated. “We just reaffirmed we were going to do that. I think Matthew’s fight to start it off was just such an energy boost. I think I was more excited, more nervous on my own. And then for Millsy to cap it off against a big guy like that, he did a great job. It was a pretty awesome experience.”
Team USA General Manager Bill Guerin – an 18-year NHL veteran who won two Stanley Cups and scored 429 goals – told Fox News he would be thrilled if President Trump attended the Four Nations Cup Final, which is held at the TD Garden Center in Boston.
“We would love it if President Trump was in attendance,” Guerin declared. “We have a room full of proud American players and coaches and staff. Listen, we’re just trying to represent our country the best way we can.”
Guerin didn’t shy away from the politics hanging over the game and embraced that fact as adding juice to the All-Star game, which is normally a contest that bores fans as players eschew hitting and basically try not to get hurt.
“I think there was a little bit of a political flair to it. It’s just the time that we’re in,” Guerin added. “If you let it get the better of you, then you’re in trouble. But I do think the players used it as inspiration.”
