Will Canada be able to handle the heat one more time, or is it going to be a field day for Team USA again? The anticipation is high among the fans and spectators, who are ready for the big face-off. And, amidst it all, there is Brad Marchand, who has had a lot to reflect on for the upcoming Canada vs. USA rematch. 

Marchand is aware of the forthcoming challenges for his team. It’s not just skills of the players that will be the topmost necessity for Team Canada this time, but a lot more resilience and strategic moves that will decide their position in the 4-Nations face-off. Considering the events that transpired, the rivalry between the two teams reached a completely different level. Recap: There were already three fights and a moment where the US national anthem was booed! It was unreal! 

As both teams look forward to another great face-off on Thursday, February 20, the Boston Bruins’ captain, Brad Marchand, has had a lot to soak in—the first being the defeat against the USA. And second—the hostile environment at the TD Garden! In a recent interview, Marchand was quoted saying, “It’s going to be intense. You know, they show the type of game they can play and they don’t give up much. So they’re going to be ready to compete hard on Thursday. We’re going to do the same.” Looks like a tough battle now. 

Talking about the predicament that he finds himself in, having to play at Boston’s TD Garden, home of the Boston Bruins for the Canadian side while associated with the Bruins as their captain, he said, “You know, you don’t normally get to play a game like this, this stage in the arena that I’ve been part of for so many years.” Well, it’s Boston, after all! 

But wait, there is another plot twist. Marchand is going to be taking on Team USA in front of a very familiar crowd, but this time, he is playing for the wrong side. Given the harsh treatment that the American team received on Canadian soil, we can expect that TD Garden is not going to be forgiving with the Canadians.

Brad Marchand’s decision ends his dilemma

Among the Canadian players who condemned the crowd’s behavior during the U.S. national anthem, Marchand stands apart. He was quite vocal about his stance that the anthem of any country deserves utmost respect. His opinions received much flak from netizens as well, but Marchand is not one to pay heed to such comments.

Marchand seems very confident about the upcoming championship finale. He said, “We’re obviously really excited about it, having another crack at these guys. It’s going to be an intense game for sure.” It’s going to be an intense showdown for sure. The energy? We know its going to go through the roof. For Marchand, however, this moment is going to be as ‘special’ as it gets.

Here’s what we’ve observed. The Canadians are maxing out their capacity with each game to throttle at full power while taking on Team USA at TD Garden. How do we know? Through their latest game, in which they did a good job by beating Finland with a score of 5-3! Canada fought tooth and nail against the Finns, who also made it easier with some empty net goals. Sidney Crosby came through once again and elevated the scoreboard from 4 goals to 5 in the last minute of the game. This makes us wonder if today’s performance is a sneak peek into what the Americans would be up against in the championship game. As for Marchand, he is quite excited to have another crack at his opponents. And we will get to see how it turns out to be.

Despite his performance for the national team, Marchand’s career with the Boston Bruins is slumping. Marred by plummeting performances in the NHL, the Bruins might barely make it to the playoffs this season,  the team had a miserable start to their matches at the beginning of the year. So this isn’t Marchand’s first rodeo with respect to being booed; by now it’s a recurring theme. He said, “At the end of the day, I’ve been booed everywhere, so I’m not too worried about it.”

However, despite the team’s overall performance and his career slump in the NHL, he continues to stay focused. Marchand is as resilient as one can get in the face of adversity