BY: QUINN BURGESS, SPORTS STAFF
Photo courtesy of @NHL on X
The National Hockey League’s attempt to reform its All-Star Game received praise after it was replaced with a new format: a Four-Nation Series. The event features the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland playing in a round-robin tournament format, with the NHL’s point system determining which two teams will advance to the final.
The United States played its first game on Feb. 13 against Finland, emerging with a dominant 6-1 victory. Their next opponent was Canada, with the game held at Bell Centre in Montreal, amid rising political tensions between the two countries. U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial stance on Canada, including tariffs and the suggestion of annexation, added fuel to the fire. This tension was felt in the arena, with fans booing the U.S. national anthem before the puck drop.
Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk commented on the booing of the anthem.
“I didn’t like it,” said Tkachuk. “That’s all I got for you.”
As the puck was dropped three separate fights broke out within just nine seconds of play. The U.S. team came out aggressive, with multiple hits not usually seen in an All-Star format. The game slowed down when Canada’s Connor McDavid scored on a breakaway, igniting the crowd’s hopes. However, the mood shifted when U.S. forward Jake Guentzel scored to make it 1-1. The game remained tied until the second period when Detroit Red Wings star forward Dylan Larkin capitalized on a 2-on-1 break and gave the U.S. a 2-1 lead that would go unanswered for the rest of the game.
Canada pulled its goalie late in the third period, but Guentzel sealed the win with an empty-net goal, securing a 3-1 U.S. victory.
This game had lasting effects. In what would normally be an all-star game filled with talent, effort was often questioned. Last February, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov put in a lackadaisical effort that was met with immense boos from the sold-out crowd and even a backhanded comment from the commentator.
“This is not a good look, quite frankly,” said Kucherov.
Compare this to what was seen in the U.S. vs. Canada game and the other Four Nation games, where players know that they are representing their country and put forth the effort that is called upon when doing so.
So far, the event resulted in positive reviews from players and fans.
“That was one of the best experiences of my life — just an unbelievable hockey game,” said U.S forward Dylan Larkin.
There was a similar response among fans, as television ratings averaged 4.4 million viewers, and 10.1 million across North America. This made it the most watched hockey game excluding Stanley Cup finals games since 2014.
This game seemed to transcend the sport of hockey, merging politics and sport, leaving fans enticed in the underlying story of the game. The political tension made the game mean something — there was a story behind this game. It symbolized more than just a hockey game. The game of hockey isn’t unfamiliar with politics merging with international competition, with the U.S.A.’s historic win against the Soviet Union in 1980’s Winter Olympics being one such case.
The U.S. victory over Canada not only advanced them to the final game of the tournament but also served as a significant moment for American hockey. The final game will be played on Feb. 20 at Boston’s TD Garden, a rematch against Canada for the Four Nation Championship.
