Connor McDavid scored at 8:18 of additional time within the 4 Nations Face-Off championship sport to provide Canada a 3-2 victory over the USA on Thursday night time because the North American rivals turned what had been a tune-up for the 2026 Olympics into an geopolitical brawl over anthems and annexation as a lot as worldwide hockey supremacy.
Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett additionally scored for Canada. Jordan Binnington made 25 saves within the first three durations and 6 extra within the additional interval on the identical ice the place he helped the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup 5 years in the past.
Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson scored for the People, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 22 photographs in regulation and three extra in OT.
The already ripe rivalry took on an added depth with the cross-border animosity following President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and speak of constructing Canada the 51st U.S. state. Trump known as the American group Thursday morning to want it nicely, then turned to Fact Social to poke Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau with extra annexation chatter.
The political backdrop mixed with the standard of the round-robin sport, which the USA gained 3-1 on Saturday, to carry the ambiance of a Stanley Cup Last or Olympic gold medal sport to the TD Backyard.
Followers of their group jerseys waved flags, shouted for his or her countrymen and continued the ritual booing of the opposing nationwide anthem that has turn into an nightly undercard for what most agree has been probably the greatest worldwide hockey competitions in many years.
The American followers chanted “U-S-A! U-S-A!” to spur on the house group; within the third interval, a cheer of “Johnny Hockey! Johnny Hockey!” reminded the gamers that they had been taking part in for the reminiscence of former Boston School and Calgary Flames star Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed by a drunk driver whereas bicycling in New Jersey at his sister’s marriage ceremony final summer time.
“Miracle on Ice” Olympic hero and honorary U.S. captain Mike Eruzione wore a Gaudreau jersey throughout a pregame ceremonial puck drop with Canadian counterpart Wayne Gretzky.
Reporting by The Related Press.
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