The 51st state might need to attend some time, because of hockey.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to Twitter late Thursday evening to crow in regards to the 4 Nations Face-Off, which Canada gained with a 3-2 extra time victory over the U.S.
“You’ll be able to’t take our nation — and you may’t take our recreation,” Mr. Trudeau wrote on X moments after the extra time aim by Connor McDavid.
The week-long match, which additionally featured all-star groups from Sweden and Finland, took on an unexpectedly laborious political edge.
President Trump has been brazenly declaring his intent to make Canada a part of america, which was at first taken as Trumpian hyperbole and trolling. However he persevered past day-or-two schtick by, amongst different issues, repeatedly referring to Mr. Trudeau as “Governor Trudeau.”
The weeks of Canadian backlash culminated within the group-stage recreation final week between Canada and the U.S., wherein the followers in Montreal loudly booed “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
As soon as the puck dropped, the U.S. and Canadian gamers acquired into a number of fights in simply the primary minute of the sport — a not-unprecedented factor within the NHL, however completely sudden for a first-time match that’s filling the NHL’s “All-Star break.”
For his half, Mr. Trump had no fast touch upon the sport on his Reality Social feed.
He had known as the U.S. staff to encourage them earlier than the sport, although he needed to flip down an invite to attend the sport in particular person in Boston due to his beforehand scheduled speech to Republican governors.
There may be an asymmetry of curiosity within the sport.
Whereas hockey is well-liked within the U.S., the NHL solely ranks fourth among the many main sports activities leagues in U.S. recognition and fewer than 30% of the league’s gamers are People. However in Canada, like with Europe and soccer, there may be hockey after which the whole lot else.
