Updated: Mar 22
Last night, hockey fans from across the world, especially USA and Canada fans experienced one of the most fierce and nail biting clashes in international hockey history. In an era of much less physicality and brute force, Canada vs the USA 2025, gave us flashbacks to 80s hockey, in a best-on-best clash for the ages. After recent political differences, and national anthem disrespect, it was bound to be an aggressive, and personal bout.
The 4 nations faceoff tournament started off with a bang with two amazing games between Canada and Sweden, and the USA and Finland, but no game had fans more excited than the USA vs Canada on Saturday night, a game which fans haven't seen happen for almost 10 years. A fierce rivalry like no other was bound to see some intensity and physicality, but nobody expected to see what they saw only 10 seconds into the game.
When the starting lineups took to the ice, it was obvious there was bad blood across the offensive lines, most obviously Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel. Inevitably as soon as the puck dropped, gloves and sticks flew onto the ice as the two started throwing down, getting the crowd on their feet, and giving the fans what they wanted. Things only got better as a mere 5 seconds later, Matthew’s brother Brady decided to go toe to toe with Sam Bennett, another brutal scrap which got the fans loud, and really set the tone for the game. Shades of the mighty ducks bash brothers, Brady and Matthew had already made the matchup one for the ages, until it was the New York Rangers JT Miller who took a swing at Colton Parayko, giving us the third fight of the game in only nine seconds of regulation. With three major scraps between six of some of the most physical players on the ice, those guys put the game in the history books, and gave us fans a tone setter, and an atmosphere that had every fan on the edge of their seat.
But it didn't stop there. Hits and blows were flying all over the ice, the sounds of the boards clattering gave the game an extra edge to it. Charlie McAvoy most noticeably handed out hits to Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby, giving the US the physical edge early in the game. After taking some heavy blows, McDavid did what he did to put Canada on the board with a sweet backhander, as the Bell center exploded with cheers as Canada took first blood.
The speed and intensity didn't stop there though. A massive hit into the boards on Drew Doughty by Brady Tkachuk let Canada know they were not done yet. Sam Bennett landed a massive slam to Jacob Slavin, Jack Hughes took a big bump from Thomas Harley, the game definitely didn't disappoint.
Along with the intense aspects of the game, the personnel on the ice will be a sight us hockey fans will never forget. McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon all on the same lines, pictures and film to be savoured in the history books.
But after an unbelievably, electrifying watch, the US took the 3-1 win over Canada after a brace by Jake Guentzel. Its likely we see the two meet again in the final game, and boy do we want to see that. Canada was not your typical Canadian hockey team last night. Bad forechecking, leaving themselves exposed, bad line changes, too many bad turnovers, and too much adrenaline. But all credit to the USA, their defensive efforts were second to none. Canada vs the USA 2025, WILL go down as one of the greatest and most memorable games in hockey history, and we could be treated with another in only a week's time.
Comments