Fans give Star-Spangled Banner icy reception before players brawl in US, Canada face-off

Montreal: Ice hockey fans in Montreal loudly booed the US national anthem before the 4 Nations Face-Off game between the Americans and host Canada.

It’s the second time The Star-Spangled Banner drew that reaction in two games the United States has played at the National Hockey League-run international tournament.

And it came after public address announcer Michel Lacroix asked the crowd, in French and English, “in the spirit of this great game that unites everyone that you kindly respect the anthems and the players that represent each country”.

Team USA and Team Canada go head to head in the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal. Fans across Canada have booed the US anthem at NHL and National Basketball Association games after US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs against the country.Credit: Getty Images

Fans across Canada have booed the US anthem at NHL and National Basketball Association games since US President Donald Trump began making repeated references to the country becoming “the 51st state”. Trump also threatened tariffs against the country, prompting backlash from a close neighbour and longtime ally.

At Saturday night’s (Sunday AEDT) game, far more of the fans at Bell Centre booed than on Thursday night before the US game against Finland, and the booing lasted for the entire length of the song.

“We knew it was going to happen,” US defenseman Zach Werenski said. “It happened the last game, it’s been happening in the NHL before this and we knew tonight was going to be the same way. We obviously don’t like it.”

With emotions running high, the match got off to an explosive start with three fist-fights in the first nine seconds.

Matthew Tkachuk fought Brandon Hagel off the opening face-off, brother Brady tussled with Sam Bennett the next time the puck dropped and J.T. Miller dropped the gloves with Colton Parayko, before the Americans toughed it out for a 3-1 victory over their biggest rival, securing a spot in the 4 Nations final.

US coach Mike Sullivan did not think the booing had anything to do with the US starting strong.

“That’s really not something that we can control,” Sullivan said. “We just want to play hockey. We want to compete. We want to represent our nation in the right way.”

Asked on Friday at practice about fans booing the US anthem, veteran Canada defenceman Drew Doughty voiced opposition to it.

“Obviously, I know what’s going on, and I understand the Canadians’ frustration, but I think we should respect the anthems and stuff like that,” Doughty told reporters in Brossard, Quebec. “I don’t think anyone should be booing.”

Canada coach Jon Cooper described the first-minute fisticuffs as “mayhem.”

“It was, I guess, 10 years of no international hockey exhaled in a minute and a half,” Cooper said.

AP

Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.