USA vs. Canada Rivalry Erupts with Three Fights in First Nine Seconds

TDT | Manama

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If there was any doubt about the intensity of USA vs. Canada, Saturday night’s game at the Bell Centre erased it—immediately. In just nine seconds, three separate fights broke out, setting the tone for a fiery showdown in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

It all started two seconds after puck drop when Team USA’s Matthew Tkachuk squared off with Canada’s Brandon Hagel, dropping the gloves without hesitation.

Not to be outdone, Tkachuk’s brother, Brady, jumped into the action as soon as play resumed, taking on Canada’s Sam Bennett just a second later. Then, six seconds after that, a battle around the Canadian net escalated into a third brawl, this time between JT Miller (USA) and Colton Parayko (Canada).

Three fights. Nine seconds. Welcome to USA vs. Canada.

A Long-Awaited Clash

This wasn’t just any game—it was the first time in over a decade that both teams fielded full NHL rosters in an international tournament. With the NHL skipping the 2018 and 2022 Olympics, the last time the world saw a true USA-Canada battle at this level was in 2014.

The atmosphere was electric, fueled by a passionate home crowd in Montreal. Canadian fans made their presence known early, loudly booing the U.S. national anthem before the opening face-off. That energy carried straight into the game—and, apparently, into the gloves-off chaos that followed.

Hagel later admitted that Matthew Tkachuk had asked him before puck drop if he wanted to “start things off with a fight.” His answer? A simple: “I’m not backing down.”

USA Seals the Win and a Spot in the Final

Despite the early fireworks, the game itself didn’t disappoint. Connor McDavid struck first for Canada five minutes in, but the U.S. responded through Jake Guentzel, who buried a setup from Jack Eichel.

In the second period, Dylan Larkin put the Americans ahead 2-1, and despite Canada pulling goalie Jordan Binnington late in the game, Guentzel sealed the 3-1 victory with an empty-net goal.

With the win, Team USA has booked its place in the 4 Nations Face-Off final—potentially setting up another battle with their biggest rivals. And if Saturday night was any indication, round two could be just as explosive.