During the 4 Nations Face-Off game between the United States and Canada in Montreal, fans loudly booed the U.S. national anthem.
This was the second time “The Star-Spangled Banner” received such a reaction in the tournament.
Despite the public address announcer’s request for respect, the crowd’s boos persisted throughout the anthem.
This reaction has been linked to political tensions and past incidents where the U.S. anthem was booed at NHL and NBA games in Canada.
Canadian Fans Booed During The American National Anthem At an NHL All-Star!
The recent incident of booing the U.S. national anthem happened on February 15, 2025.
This occurred during Saturday night’s 4 Nations Face-Off game between the United States and Canada in Montreal.
The booing persisted throughout the entire anthem despite the public address announcer’s request for respect.
The Star Spangled Banner was booed from start to finish in Montréal ahead of Team USA 🇺🇸 facing Team Canada 🇨🇦 at #4Nations. pic.twitter.com/IdAe65LK8D
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) February 16, 2025
This has been linked to political tensions and past actions by the U.S. government, including President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs against Canada.
Fans across Canada have booed the U.S. anthem at NHL and NBA games in response to these political tensions.
U.S. starting goaltender Connor Hellebuyck dismissed the reaction, stating that people have free speech and can do whatever they want, stating.
You have free speech, If you’re going to boo the anthem, we sing it for the troops that protected our freedom.
Moreover, U.S. coach Mike Sullivan also downplayed the impact of the booing. He emphasized that the team wants to play hockey and represent their nation in the right way.
Also, team Canada star Connor McDavid pointed out the recent situation, stating:
I’d like to see all anthems respected. That’s all I’ll really say about it.
Veteran Canada defenseman Drew Doughty voiced opposition to the booing, stating that anthems should be respected.
Despite the boos, the U.S. team remained focused and went on to win the match against Canada with a score of 3-1.
The game was intense from the start, with three fights breaking out within the first nine seconds.
USA vs. Canada started off in MADNESS 😳
— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2025
📺: ABC/ESPN+/Disney+ pic.twitter.com/BrWlXzMb7J
Connor McDavid scored the opening goal for Canada, but the U.S. team responded with goals from Jake Guentzel and Dylan Larkin. Guentzel scored twice, including an empty-netter that sealed the victory.
Moreover, the U.S. team’s win secured their spot in the 4 Nations Face-Off final.
U.S. National Anthem Booed for the First Time In Montreal on February 13, 2025!
The first instance of booing the U.S. national anthem was during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
This occurred at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, on Thursday night, February 13, 2025.
Despite the public address announcer’s request for respect, the crowd booed throughout “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
Stanley Cup-winning forward Matthew Tkachuk expressed his displeasure, stating,
I didn’t like it, and that’s all I got.
U.S. center J.T. Miller put a positive spin on the situation, suggesting the booing might fire up the team more than anything.
However, there was no such reaction to Finland’s national anthem that followed.
Despite the loud boos from the crowd, Team USA won the game against Finland with a decisive score of 6-1.
Matthew Tkachuk and his brother Brady each scored two goals, contributing significantly to the victory.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- The U.S. government, under President Donald Trump, began threatening tariffs against Canada in December 2024.
- During the 2010 NBA Finals, Los Angeles Lakers fans booed the Boston Celtics during their introduction.
- Similarly, during the 2018 U.S. Open final, Serena Williams was booed by some fans after her confrontation with the umpire.
