Canada won the 4 Nations Face-Off in thrilling fashion, avenging their devastating group-stage loss to Team USA. But this wasn’t just about hockey—it was about national pride. And not long after Connor McDavid’s game-winning goal, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent a clear message to U.S. President Donald Trump.
In the lead-up to the tournament, much of the focus had been on Trump and his threats to impose tariffs on Canada, along with his controversial suggestion that the country should become the 51st state of the U.S.
The rising tensions between the nations spilled over into the arena, with Canadian fans booing the American national anthem. When the puck dropped in Montreal for their group-stage clash, it was clear just how much the game meant to both sides. Within the first nine seconds, three fights broke out before the U.S. took control and secured a 3-1 victory.
Donald Trump’s bold statement
Thursday’s rematch at TD Garden in Boston had even higher stakes: the championship was on the line. Trump did his best to fire up the U.S. squad, personally calling the players to wish them luck. He also took to social media once again to push his vision of Canada joining the United States.
“I’ll be calling our GREAT American Hockey Team this morning to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“With FAR LOWER TAXES AND MUCH STRONGER SECURITY, (Canada) will someday, maybe soon, become our cherished, and very important, Fifty-First State.”
Justin Trudeau’s message to Trump
The game lived up to the hype. It was a battle from start to finish, but in overtime, Connor McDavid delivered the final blow, scoring the championship-winning goal for Canada. And after Trump’s bold statements earlier that day, it didn’t take long for Justin Trudeau to respond.
“You can’t take our country—and you can’t take our game,” he posted on social media.
For McDavid, the moment was extra special. Before the tournament, many dismissed it as nothing more than a glorified All-Star break. But as the games unfolded, the critics were proven wrong.
“Just to see the reaction. Just to know what it means to us,” McDavid told media post-game.
“I know it’s just a quick tournament, and it’s not an Olympic gold medal or anything like that, but it means the world to our group, as you can see.”
READ MORE: Boston Bruins ”extremely unhappy” with Charlie McAvoy treatment
