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At the start of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, the stakes may not have felt too high. As a replacement for the annual All-Star game, many saw it as a money-maker. But that all quickly changed when Canada hit the ice to square up against the U.S.
Tensions had been mounting between the two countries as political rhetoric began turning serious. A trade war was kicking off as President Trump had just taken office, with terms like “51st State” and “Governor of Canada” were met with “elbows up!” It all came to a head in Montreal in the first meeting of the Canadian and American teams to determine hockey dominance.
“Too many players had been waiting too long for this,” recalls broadcaster Chris Cuthbert. “But we had no idea that the next nine seconds were going to be unforgettable.”
As the teams hit centre ice, Canadian forward Brandon Hagel recalls the moment. “He says ‘we’re going off the draw,’” referring to U.S. player Matthew Tkachuck’s challenge right before the puck dropped. It was the kick-off to a spectacular rivalry.
The fight shortly ended and players sent to the box. But that wasn’t the end of it. Seconds later, Tkachuk’s brother Brady brawled with Canada’s Sam Bennett, and Colton Parayko went fisticuffs with U.S. forward J.T. Miller – all within the first nine seconds of the game.
With such a memorable opening to the game, the Canadian players had answered the challenge, establishing a tone for the tournament that was guaranteed to be unforgettable.
Watch RIVALS: The 4 Nations Face-Off on CBC Gem and the CBC Docs YouTube channel.
