“And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave…” But on this particular Saturday, a peaceful triumph was hard to find. The showdown was a storm—hot, cold, and downright chaotic. The 4 Nations Face-Off was on fire, and this year’s clash was the biggest in recent memory. Canada, the USA, Sweden, and Finland were locked in an all-out war for hockey supremacy, with none other than Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the house, adding fuel to an already blazing rivalry. Every game had been a thriller, but USA vs. Canada at the Bell Centre? That was a whole different beast.

The energy was electric, the tension explosive—before the puck even hit the ice. This wasn’t just a hockey game. This was a battle of pride, passion, and pure, unfiltered intensity. Fists flew, tempers flared, and the crowd was ruthless, raining down boos like a thunderstorm. And of course, Lane Kiffin—college football’s king of Twitter—couldn’t resist the hype. The man lives for the chaos, and this showdown was serving it up on a silver platter.

Bet no one expected Kiffin to be a hockey guy. However, on Saturday night, he was all in. And why not? The game was pure chaos from the start. The American national anthem received boos in Montreal. The puck dropped, and within 10 seconds—three fights erupted. The intensity was off the charts. And the Ole Miss head coach couldn’t hold back, taking to social media to let the world know. “LFG!!!!! I can’t stop Watching this!!!! _@usahockey,” he posted on X. See, football may be his game, but on that night, Kiffin was all about the ice.

This is why…

The Bell Centre was rocking, but not with cheers. A sold-out Montreal crowd rained down boos during the American anthem as tensions ran high. But the spark? President Donald Trump’s fiery remarks about making Canada the 51st state and slapping tariffs on Canadian goods. So that energy didn’t stay in the stands—it exploded on the ice. Just nine seconds in, fists were flying. Three fights erupted almost immediately after the puck dropped, turning the game into a wild, edge-of-your-seat brawl.

It started with Brandon Hagel and Matthew Tkachuk trading punches, igniting the crowd. While they cooled off in the penalty box, Sam Bennett and Brady Tkachuk picked up where they left off, joining the melee. Then, just as things seemed to settle down, J.T. Miller and Colton Parayko jumped into the fray, capping off truly insane moments. Despite the early chaos, Team USA emerged victorious, skating away with a hard-fought 3-1 win.

The hostility wasn’t a surprise. Players knew what was coming. One of them? U.S. defenseman Zach Werenski. “We knew it was going to happen. It happened the last game, it’s been happening in the NHL before this, and we knew tonight was going to be the same way. We obviously don’t like it,” said Werenski.  Safe to say, the jeers, the tension, the boiling intensity—it was all expected. But that didn’t make it any less personal.

You know, this wasn’t the first time. “The Star-Spangled Banner” had already been drowned in boos before Team USA’s 6-1 rout of Finland. The tension? Nothing new. And the hostility had echoed through NBA and NHL arenas all month. But Saturday night was different. And the rivalry was more intense than ever.

While the U.S. players saw it coming, so did the Canadians. Even Brad Marchand, the Canadian hockey winger, wasn’t having any of the anthem booing. “There should not be any of that. We’re here to play a hockey game. They can boo all they want during the games. The anthems should be off limits,” he said. However, the crowd? Ruthless. But for the players, this wasn’t about politics—it was about hockey. And Marchand made that clear, adding that they “have nothing to do with the political things that are going on.”

With the championship game just around the corner on Thursday, expect Lane Kiffin to be in the thick of it. He’s a fan first and foremost, and intense competition draws him in, regardless of the sport. But Kiffin’s influence goes beyond just being a spectator.

Lane Kiffin’s latest move

Lane Kiffin might just be the guy to lead Ole Miss to SEC glory and a playoff run. His drive, his tactical genius, and his ability to light a fire under his players—that’s a winning formula. Kiffin’s a brilliant strategist, and he’s not just coaching; he’s building a legacy at Ole Miss. Remember when he revolutionized spring games? That was just the beginning. And the main focus right now is on Jaxson Dart‘s replacement.

Kiffin felt he couldn’t just settle for any quarterback because Dart was a generational talent. So, he needed a special person. Someone who could take over and maintain the momentum. And Kiffin saw the spark in Austin Simmons. Now, others are starting to catch on.

Simmons’ 34-yard game-winning pass in the Gator Bowl? That was just the beginning. Travis May of A to Z Sports is all in, confident Simmons has the power to “decide SEC Championship.” Not only this, he may even become “the most important breakout player in the country.” “This one shouldn’t come as a surprise given the importance of the quarterback position, but Austin Simmons could be much more than just the most important breakout player for Ole Miss this year,” says May.

As of now, “If Lane Kiffin can somehow come anywhere near replacing Jaxson Dart’s wildly impressive and efficient production with Austin Simmons, that could completely change the landscape of the SEC,” May stated. The stakes? Huge. If Kiffin can unlock Simmons’ full potential, the Rebels could be a serious CFP contender and a powerhouse in the SEC. And Kiffin? He’s all in to bring that same fire to the gridiron as he saw on the ice.