The United States Men’s Hockey team upset team Canada 3-1 on Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, marking their first best-on-best international victory over their northern rivals in 15 years. In a clash fueled by an undercurrent of political tension, the immensely physical round-robin game in the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off tournament served as one of the most electrifying hockey games of the 21st century.
Before the puck dropped in the first period, Montreal fans booed the U.S. national anthem for the second time in two games – persisting throughout the entire song despite the arena announcer’s plea for respect. This blatant disrespect evidently did not sit well with the American bench – igniting three fights within the first nine seconds of play.
Two of the fights were started by Matthew and Brady Tkachuk – Chaminade College Preparatory alumni and sons of St. Louis Blues star Keith Tkachuk – amplifying the already deafening crowd. Ironically enough, Keith Tkachuk dropped the mitts in international play against Claude Lemieux 20 seconds into a World Cup of Hockey matchup against Canada in 1996.
“We’re one of the only sports that still has fighting in it. It’s a war out there,” said Canada forward Travis Konecny.
Despite serving as an alternate captain for the Philadelphia Flyers – one of the most passionate fan bases in all of professional hockey – Konecny commented on how the fights set the tone for a different type of night.
“It’s funny: You put the flag behind the meaning of something and guys’ switches just kind of flip,” Konecny said.
The rest of the game proved to be just as exciting as its opening moments. Even after jumping to a 1-0 lead after a splendid transition goal by alternate Canadian captain Connor McDavid, the U.S. knotted the game when a Jake Guentzel shot found its way through goaltender Jordan Binnington’s legs. At the 13:33 mark in the second period, center Dylan Larkin scored on a blistering wrist-shot that provided a lead the Americans would never relinquish. Guentzel secured the win with his second goal of the night in an empty Canadian net with less than two minutes to play in regulation. A stifling Yankee defense, a brilliant goaltending performance by Connor Hellebuyck, and an unwavering refusal to cater to Canada’s transition-heavy style all played key roles in the upset. With the win Saturday night, the U.S. secured its spot in the championship on Thursday, Feb. 20.
Following the loss, Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper said, “The game is in a better place because last night’s game existed,” reflecting on a night that ended Canada’s 26-game winning streak with superstar Sidney Crosby as captain.
As the NHL strives to remain relevant among the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL) and even Major League Baseball (MLB), innovative events like the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament can help grow the game’s excitement and appeal in the American sports landscape.
It’s hard to disagree with Cooper – as the television ratings back up the mastery that was laid out on the ice for all sixty minutes. At its peak, 5.4 million Americans watched the game, with a steady 4.4 million viewers throughout. Nielsen Fast National data showed a 473% increase from ESPN’s 2016 World Cup of Hockey matchup and a 369% rise compared to ABC’s NHL average this season. Moreover, it served as the most-watched non Stanley Cup Final hockey telecast since 2019.
The 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, which is temporarily replacing NHL’s annual All Star Game, consists of four nations: the U.S., Canada, Finland and Sweden. Due to a greater trend in the NHL, NBA and NFL of players not giving full effort in these events, the NHL took a bit of a gamble – and was a massive success. Thus far, the exciting tournament has not only filled the void left by the absence of the World Cup of Hockey since 2016 but also marks the return of elite, best-on-best international competition that largely defined the sport in the mid-20th century.
Despite facing potential elimination in the tournament, Canada pulled out a surprisingly close win against Finland on Monday, Feb. 17. Poetically, the Americans will face the Canadians Thursday night in Boston at the TD Garden at 7 p.m. CST on ESPN. In what will no doubt be an emotionally compelling and fiercely patriotic rematch, the outcome will not only bring immense pride to the winning country, but regardless serve as a massive win for the sport of hockey.
