Connor McDavid delivered a painful blow to the American team.
The Canadian hockey icon, a three-time NHL MVP who remarkably also secured the NFL playoff MVP last season despite his Edmonton Oilers losing in the Stanley Cup Finals, received a pass and scored past U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck. This goal secured a 3-2 overtime win for Canada against the U.S. in the final of the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off, a tournament featuring teams from the U.S., Canada, Finland, and Sweden, created to replace the usual NHL All-Star events. The tournament attracted significant viewership, fueled by the intensifying U.S.-Canada rivalry.
The last time the U.S. and Canada clashed in a major final that went to overtime was during the Vancouver Olympics gold medal game, where Sidney Crosby’s overtime goal ignited celebrations across Canada. Like Crosby 15 years prior, McDavid demonstrated the ability of Canadian hockey stars to excel in critical moments on prominent stages.
The game kept viewers on the edge of their seats. The first period saw both teams scoring; Nathan McKinnon put Canada ahead initially, but Brady Tkachuck of the U.S. equalized with just over three minutes remaining, following a play initiated by Austin Matthews. The U.S. gained momentum in the second period when Jake Sanderson gave them a 2-1 lead. However, Sam Bennett scored to tie the game, leading to a scoreless third period and overtime.
The political backdrop of the championship game was evident. Canada has been sensitive to U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that it might become America’s 51st state. During earlier tournament games in Montreal, fans booed the “Star Spangled Banner.” The atmosphere in Boston on Thursday night was different, with “Make America Great Again” hats visible in the crowd and fervent “USA! USA!” chants.
The previous Saturday’s game between the two nations, a round-robin match, saw Team USA win. That game attracted 10.1 million viewers in North America, the highest number outside the Stanley Cup Final since 2014, according to the NHL.
Trump has embraced the U.S. team. On Thursday, he stated on Truth Social that he couldn’t attend due to prior commitments but wanted to encourage the team to victory against Canada, which he claimed had “FAR LOWER TAXES AND MUCH STRONGER SECURITY” and might soon become the “Fifty First State.” He has also referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor,” enjoying the chance to provoke him. Trump mentioned he would be watching and welcomed Trudeau to join him.
Trump later posted a video showing him calling the U.S. team before the game. He wished them luck, praising their skill and stating it was an honor to speak with them, adding “There’s no pressure whatsoever.” The players in the locker room laughed. U.S. coach Mike Sullivan responded, “I can tell you honestly, every person in here—players, staff, management, coaches—we are all proud Americans and we want to represent the country the best way we can.”
“Just go out and have a good time,” Trump said. “You’re going to win, and we love America, we love you guys. We’ll be watching tonight, bring it home.”
The U.S. ultimately fell short, giving Canada satisfaction. Trudeau posted on X, “You can’t take our country. And you can’t take our game.”
However, Trump might find some consolation in the fact that, unlike the U.S. women’s soccer team in 2019, which publicly opposed him, this hockey team appeared to welcome his support. A victory would have represented a symbolic “MAGA” world title for Trump and his supporters.
Future opportunities exist, with the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan next year offering another potential rematch. Sports fans globally will be watching.
The President included.
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