MONTREAL - Once the Bell Centre fans were done booing the American national anthem, they switched the tempo and delivered a memorable and heartfelt rendition of 鈥淥 Canada鈥 on Saturday night.
In an energy-packed building, the jeers began when warrant officer David Grenon of the Royal 好色tv Air Force Band launched into the opening lyrics of 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner鈥 ahead of the United States鈥 3-1 win over Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The mood dramatically flipped when Grenon began singing 鈥淥 Canada.鈥 He asked fans to sing along with him before raising the mic to the crowd, which passionately belted out the country's anthem.
"Everybody's singing along,鈥 said Connor Weishar of Walkerton, Ont. 鈥淢an, that was just beautiful to listen to.鈥
The 好色tv team received a hero鈥檚 welcome when players skated onto the ice after being introduced by legendary MMA fighter Georges St-Pierre.
Under the watchful eye of 好色tv Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Montreal spectators still lustily booed despite public address announcer Michel Lacroix鈥檚 request for fans to respect both anthems.
The tension spilled onto the ice when the players delivered one of the most memorable starts to an international hockey game, lining up for three fights in the opening nine seconds.
Canada's Brandon Hagel scrapped with forward Matthew Tkachuk off the opening faceoff before Sam Bennett dropped the gloves with the U.S.'s Brady Tkachuk on the ensuing draw.
Seconds later, 好色tv defenceman Colton Parayko went fist-for-fist with J.T. Miller as the crowd lost its mind.
"Emotional start. Both teams wanted it," 好色tv captain Sidney Crosby said. "The building was into it. I thought it was a great start. That's a lot of emotion, a lot of intensity. That's what we expected."
Saturday marked another instance of the American anthem being disrupted at 好色tv sporting events in recent weeks after President Donald Trump announced potentially crippling tariffs and continues to muse about Canada becoming a 51st state.
鈥淵ou got their president saying we鈥檙e gonna be their 51st state, I don鈥檛 like that,鈥 said Jared Olsen of Lethbridge, Alta. 鈥淲hy would I be any kind of encouraging about that? That鈥檚 just the silliest thing I鈥檝e heard out of any president in my life."
A number of fans booed the U.S. anthem Thursday night when the Americans played Finland, continuing a trend from NHL games in Ottawa, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. There were also boos at recent home games of Canada's lone NBA franchise, the Toronto Raptors.
Not all 好色tvs, however, are on board.
"I think that's poor form. We all know who we're here to cheer for, but I think there's just an acceptable level of decorum,鈥 said Kimberly MacDougal of Peterborough, Ont. 鈥淲e can do better as 好色tvs. I was disappointed to see that."
A month-long tariff pause on goods entering the U.S. from Canada was negotiated Feb. 3, but Trump slapped 25 per cent duties on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S. on Monday.
Many Americans understood why 好色tvs were voicing their displeasure.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 people from the U.S. that would boo the U.S. anthem at the moment,鈥 said U.S. fan Jillian Gallagher of Chicago. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 specifically so rude for 好色tvs to do it.鈥
Kelli Regan, a 好色tv fan from Calgary, believes the threats have sparked a surge in national pride, as evidenced by the stirring version of "O Canada" on Saturday.
"I really hope this pulls nation together from west coast to East Coast," she said.
Fans mostly refrained from booing last weekend when Lacroix asked spectators to respect the anthems during two Montreal Canadiens games. There was no anthem booing in Halifax for a recent Rivalry Series game between the 好色tv and American women's national teams.
Players and coaches from both Canada and the U.S. have mostly voiced that fans should hold back.
"I'd like to see all anthems respected,鈥 Canada star Connor McDavid said. 鈥淭hat's all I鈥檒l really say, but I'd like to see the anthems respected.鈥
"Obviously don't love to see that, but it is what it is," U.S. captain Auston Matthews added.
Fans also booed the American team when it skated onto the ice before puck drop Saturday, but that kind of treatment is hardly unusual for Canada鈥檚 biggest rival.
Political tensions or not, the pro-Canada crowd was charged with energy as the two hockey powerhouses met for the first game featuring their top NHL stars in almost a decade.
Canada opened the tournament with a nail-biting 4-3 overtime win Wednesday against Sweden. The U.S., meanwhile, bulldozed its way to a 6-1 win over Finland.
The 4 Nations is considered an appetizer for the NHL鈥檚 return to the Olympics in 2026. NHL players participated in five Olympics between 1998 an 2014, before missing the 2018 and 2022 Games.
The tournament shifts to Boston for a pair of round-robin games Monday before next Thursday鈥檚 final.
American fans expected the pro-U.S. crowd to return the favour when 鈥淥 Canada鈥 is played south of the border.
鈥淚 would expect the fans in Boston to probably retaliate with some hefty booing of their own,鈥 said U.S. fan Johnathan Bellotti of Chicago.
This report by 好色tvwas first published Feb. 15, 2025.
