Canada Beats US in Politically Charged 4 Nations Hockey Tournament Final

Canada's Connor McDavid (97) celebrates after his winning goal against the United States during an overtime period of the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game, in Boston on Feb. 20, 2025. AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Canada defeated the United States with an overtime goal on Feb. 20 in the politically charged final game of the 4 Nations Face-Off in Boston. The game featured American fans lightly booing the Canadian national anthem and a political message embedded in the rendition of “O Canada” in an apparent response to President Donald Trump’s 51st-state remarks.

The winning score was by Canada’s Connor McDavid at 8:18 of overtime. Defenseman Cale Makar passed the puck along the boards behind the net to forward Mitch Marner in the corner, who in turn passed to McDavid. The Edmonton Oilers captain fired a wrist shot from the slot to score the game-winning goal, ending the match at Boston’s TD Garden with a final score of 3–2.

Canadian team captain Sidney Crosby hoists the trophy after defeating the United States following an overtime period of the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey game, in Boston on Feb. 20, 2025. AP Photo/Charles Krupa

U.S. goalie Connor Hellebuyck (L) tops a shot by Canada's Seth Jarvis during the first period of the 4 Nations Face-Off championship hockey game in Boston on Feb. 20, 2025. Charles Krupa/AP Photo

Canadians made their voices heard at the 4:48 mark of the first period after a goal by Nathan MacKinnon. He skated from near the left boards to the slot, firing a wrist shot through heavy traffic past the glove of USA goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Thomas Harley earned his first assist of the tournament, and Sam Reinhart his fourth on the goal.

Many Canadians were in attendance, especially in the lower bowl, but chants of “USA USA” were frequent throughout the first period. The crowd found reason to erupt at the 16:52 mark. U.S. captain Austin Matthews recovered a dump into the Canadian zone. Matthews passed from behind the net to a waiting Brady Tkachuk in front, who scored.

Tkachuk earned another cheer in the final minute of the period when he drove Harley into the boards behind the Canadian net. Harley, a Canadian who was born in Syracuse, New York, was a replacement for defenseman Josh Morrissey who missed the game due to illness.

A snap shot from defenseman Jake Sanderson gave the United States the lead at 7:32 of the second period. Matthews earned his third assist of the tournament on the goal, and Zach Werenski his sixth.

Forward Vincent Trocheck tripped Canadian forward Sam Bennett at the 8:47 mark for the game’s first penalty, but the Canadians could not capitalize on the power play.

Bennett scored his only goal of the tournament at the 14-minute mark of the second period with a top corner wrist shot from close range. Forward Mitch Marner earned his only assist of the tournament on the goal.

The game, which went to overtime with a 2–2 tie, ended with McDavid’s goal.

MacKinnon, who scored four goals in four games, took honours for tournament MVP.

The 4 Nations Face-Off, held from Feb. 12 to Feb. 20, featured the four nations of Canada, United States, Finland, and Sweden. The games were played at Montreal’s Bell Centre and Boston’s TD Garden.

United States' Brady Tkachuk checks Canada's Devon Toews (5) during the first period of the 4 Nations Face-Off championship hockey game, in Boston on Feb. 20, 2025. AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Canadian and American players shake hands following an overtime period of the 4 Nations Face- Off hockey game, in Boston on Feb. 20, 2025. AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Politics

The game took on added significance due to the tariff dispute between Canada and the United States, as well as Trump’s remarks that he wants Canada to become the 51 U.S. state.

Grammy award-winning singer Chantal Kreviazuk, who is from Winnipeg, sang Canada’s national anthem without accompaniment. Her performance began with a few boos from the crowd at TD Garden in Boston, but ended with some cheers. She modified part of the lyrics from “in all of us command” to “that only us command,” in what appears to be a response to the 51st state remarks.

When the two teams faced each other in Montreal on Feb. 15, three fights occurred in the first nine seconds of play. Fans booed during the singing of the U.S. national anthem. Some American fans also booed the Canadian anthem when Canada played against Finland on Feb. 17 in Boston, although the booing wasn’t as strong as the one in Canada.

The leaders of the two nations also had charged words about the game.

“You can’t take our country—and you can’t take our game,” Trudeau said on the X platform after Canada won the game on Feb. 20.

Ahead of the game, Trump said in a Truth Social post on Feb. 20 that he wished the American hockey team good luck against Canada, “which with far lower taxes and much stronger security, will someday, maybe soon, become our cherished, and very important, Fifty First State.”

He added, “But we will all be watching, and if Governor Trudeau would like to join us, he would be most welcome.”

Canada’s ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman, told CBC’s Power and Politics program on Feb. 19 that Canadian fans booing the American national anthem are “expressing their feelings.”

“I will let Canadians decide the way in which they seek to express their views. I think Americans take their national anthem pretty seriously and international tournaments pretty seriously, as do we. It certainly is something that gets attention,” Hillman said.

Singer Chantal Kreviazuk performs "O Canada" prior to the 4 Nations Face-Off championship hockey game, in Boston on Feb. 20, 2025. Charles Krupa/AP Photo

Hours prior to the Feb. 20 game, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre hoped Canadians would keep things positive.

“I would focus on cheering on Canadians. I want Canadians to win,” Poilievre said. “I would just encourage everyone to remember that our disagreement is not with the American people, it’s with the American president’s unjustified threats of tariffs, and let’s focus on building our own country up.”

Prior to the game, U.S. Vice President JD Vance also chimed in with his thoughts from the Conservative Political Action Conference. He said Canada should lose “because you don’t boo the United States of America.”

“And to Canada, if you guys don’t win, the tariffs are even higher,” Vance said on Feb. 20. “No, I’m kidding. That’s the president’s decision.”

Trump offered encouragement to the U.S. team in a five-minute call prior to the game. According to U.S. forward J.T. Miller, Trump told the team to have fun and enjoy the game, adding the team has the support of the whole country.

“It’s a pretty big deal for him to take time out of his schedule to talk to us for five minutes and it’s another one of those things where we’re kind of pinching ourselves this tournament,” said Miller, according to NHL.com.