With tensions simmering between the USA and Canada, Saturday’s 4 Nations Face-Off game was never just about hockey—it was a showdown between North American neighbors. Despite being longtime allies, political strains have loomed over their relationship, dating back to when President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canada within a month of taking office. With Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in attendance at the Bell Centre in Montreal, the atmosphere was already charged. This game was just a ticking bomb waiting to explode. And boy, it descended into chaos before the puck even touched the field!

Add a bit of recent geopolitical tensions and, of course, some rivalry to a crowd of 21,105. Almost every one of them started booing the U.S. national anthem. Well, that was just the tip of what spilled onto the ice in the next few moments. As ex-NFLer Antonio Brown pointed out on his notorious X handle, “Canada fans booed our National Anthem. So Team USA started 3 fights in the first 9 seconds of the game and beat Canada 3-1 on their home turf. Now America is in the Championship game. Free Bird baby🦅.” All it took was just two seconds for Team USA’s Matthew Tkachuk and Team Canada’s Brandon Hagel to engage in a fistfight.

Seeing older brother Matthew trading blows urged Brady Tkachuk to do the same one second later. He also dropped his gloves for taking on Canada’s Sam Bennett. And while those fights were still fresh—six seconds later, another pair joined in. America’s J.T. Miller and Canada’s Colton Parayko started tussling after a cross-check when the puck was dropped. With that being said, three separate fights went off in the first 9 seconds. So, talk about entertainment. Well, USA’s ice hockey center Dylan Larkin, who scored the game-winning goal, beautifully summed up the experience after the game.

“That was one of the best experiences of my life—just an unbelievable hockey game. The Tkachuk brothers and Millsy, what a start, and credit to those guys for answering the bell. And the crowd, just a great night for our sport and a great night for this rivalry.” Like no one could have put it in a better way than what that game in Montreal actually delivered for the fans. Pure entertainment from the beginning to the end.

Even another NFL legend joined in to share his reaction to the feisty encounter between USA and Canada. Straight from the America’s Team, Troy Aikman shared a video montage of the game with one message, “USA Hockey.” 

A 3-1 win over Canada on their home turf punches USA’s ticket to the 4 Nations Face-Off final. They will take on Sweden in the final round to cap off an incredible tournament. However, there’s someone in the NFL who probably has a tough decision to make about allegiance once the final arrives. 49ers TE George Kittle was also there at the Bell Centre to support a friend of his and, of course, stand up to Canada’s disrespect.

George Kittle putting the Canadians in their place while supporting his friend

NFL offseason is in full flow, with players spending time away from the gridiron. With that being said, 49ers TE George Kittle was one of those players who had the perfect Saturday night planned for himself. What could have been better than catching up on 4 Nations Face-Off games, right? Kittle was in attendance, seeing the USA dismantle Canada 3-1 after how they treated their national anthem.

So, moments after the game in Montreal, Kittle shared a video on his Instagram with a fiery message to noisy neighbors, “Don’t boo the anthem! USA 3-1,” adding 4 American flags to his message for a more patriotic feel. However, that wasn’t the only thing for which Kittle was at the Bell Centre.

He was also there to cheer for Sweden’s Filip Forsberg for their game against Finland. You might be wondering how the hell a footballer knows someone from ice hockey. Well, Kittle became friends with Forsberg through his wife’s connection. Claire Kittle is friends with Forsberg’s wife, Erin Alvey, and that’s how they became close to each other. The two-time All-Pro TE also wore a Swedish jersey with Forsberg’s name and No.9 on his back to showcase his support.

So, all in all, it was a great day for Kittle, who didn’t just witness the USA win their game but also Sweden getting the W against Finland. Maybe he was their lucky charm after all in what was a historic night for America. What are your views on this charged-up encounter? Let us know in the comment section below!