The rivalry between the United States and Canada in hockey is nothing short of legendary. With both countries boasting rich histories in the sport, their matchups have become some of the most anticipated in international competition.
ESPN reported, “The intensity dates back to the early 20th century, but it truly reached a fever pitch in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with the U.S. claiming their first Olympic gold in 1960 and then again in 1980, while Canada dominated in the 2000s, securing multiple golds.” The fierce battles continued in the World Cup and World Championships.
In a display of skill and determination, the United States and Canada clashed once again Feb. 20 in the highly anticipated 4 Nations Face-Off, showcasing their long-standing rivalry. The matchup took place in Boston at the TD Garden. The game lived up to its hype as both teams battled fiercely for supremacy.
Jonah Salem, a freshman lacrosse player at Benedictine, has also grown up playing hockey. Salem has been excited for this moment in hockey, saying that “the reason the tensions were so high for this game is because there has never been a large-scale tournament between countries in hockey with NHL players since 2016.”
“The US and Canada have always been rivals in hockey because their borders are touching too. The tensions also rose as the game got hyped up more and more, along with Canadians booing the ‘Star-Spangled Banner,’” Salem said.
The first matchup of the 4 Nations Face-Off Feb. 15 was played in Montreal at the Bell Center. The Canadian fans booed the United States national anthem, and this fueled some of the players from the U.S. to drop the gloves immediately after the first puck drop and start fighting the Canadian players.
Salem said, “I feel that the Canadian fans booing the national anthem was disrespectful because it’s the national anthem. It’s not the team’s song, it’s the whole country’s. That I feel did put more tension into the game which started with 3 fights in 9 seconds of game time.”
The result of that game was the U.S. winning 3-1, but the final didn’t go as smoothly for America. The Feb. 20 final was a great game and was tied right down to the end, but Canada won in overtime on a goal. The NHL put on a show for all the hockey fans around the world, which will be repeated in the next winter Olympics in 2026.
In conclusion, this tournament was great for professional hockey. Salem said, “The 4 nations face off is great for the NHL because it’s putting meaning behind the games during the all star break, as opposed to players just going out and skating around like it doesn’t matter. I think players enjoy representing their countries, and it gives them something to play for. Overall, I think this was the easiest way to show the emotion on the ice rink between some of the best teams in the world.”
