Three fights in the first nine seconds and a chorus of deafening boos for the US national anthem marked a stormy ice hockey clash between the United States and Canada in Montreal yesterday.
An emotionally charged showdown between the star-studded lineups of the North American rivals - which comes against a backdrop of political tension between the neighboring countries - erupted into violence from the opening puck drop at Bell Centre.
The US squad clinched a spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off final in Boston with a 3-1 victory, but the result was almost a footnote to the mayhem that marked the start of a game played before a fiercely partisan Canadian crowd.
With Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the crowd, home fans booed The Star-Spangled Banner before the game, catcalls that have become a regular feature at NHL and NBA games in Canada since US President Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian goods crossing into US borders. Then came three fights in nine seconds.
"I just think it's very indicative of what this means to the players," USA coach Mike Sullivan said. "There's two teams out there that are very competitive, that have a ton of pride for their respective teams and their countries ... What an incredible hockey game."
Canada coach Jon Cooper, the two-time Stanley Cup champion coach for Tampa Bay who will guide the Canadian 2026 Olympic team, said the melee in the first moments was not pre-arranged.
"It wasn't planned," Cooper said. "That was as organic as it gets."
At the opening puck drop, the gloves came off on the ice as Canada's Brandon Hagel and Matthew Tkachuk of the US began swinging punches as the crowd went wild and teammates skated back to give the brawlers a clear stage at center ice.
Referees restored order, sent the combatants to the penalty box and tried to restart the game, only for Canada's Sam Bennett and Brady Tkachuk of the Americans to drop their gloves and trade punches until officials could break them apart, Tkachuk following his brother into the penalty box.
The game was restarted but American JT Miller and Canada's Colton Parayko began fighting.
Top NHL players from the US and Canada had not faced off against each other for their home nations since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Matthew Tkachuk, left, fights with Canada's Brandon Hagel at the start of the game. AFP
