What Donald Trump didn’t realize was the response would come—resounding and clear—not just from 24 Sussex Drive but also from 590 miles north of the White House. When USA reached Montreal’s Bell Centre back in February this year for the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off Canada matchup, the tensions were already high. Yes, it was one of the biggest sports rivalries between the two nations. Yet, politics and emotions took precedence. As the “Star-Spangled Banner” reverberated through the arena, Canadian fans present protested against USA’s reported tariff hike threats with boos.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t the kind of boos that the blaring anthem was able to drown out. The result? A swift retaliation from USA fans less than a week later, in their rivals’ own language during “O Canada”. “I didn’t like it, and that’s all I got,” USA forward Matthew Tkachuk had said back then. But what if we told you the controversy is far from over? In fact, the latest edition just dropped.

When the Stanley Cup Game 1 clash between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers (which the latter ultimately won 4-3) kicked off on June 4, an unexpected moment during the opening ceremony turned heads, highlighting underlying tensions yet again. Reporter Kaitlyn Pohly posted on X when the game started, “The crowd screams the RED in ‘rockets’ red glare,’ listening to the National Anthem from 2,500 away. When ‘Oh, Canada’ begins, chants of ‘USA, USA’ erupt.” 

What was meant to be a unifying tradition instead became a flashpoint, as crowd reactions revealed the deep-rooted national pride and rivalry that fuels this cross-border competition.

As for the game, it was the kind of day the Oilers are going to remember for a long time since it’s the first time the team leads a Stanley Cup Final series since 1990—the last time they won a championship. Leon Draisaitl’s performance was noteworthy, with a goal just 66 seconds into the game. Florida, on the other hand, didn’t back down either. After Draisaitl’s opening goal, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand scored two consecutive goals in a span of two minutes with Bennett finding the net another time early in the second period. However, Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm managed to tie it with 13:27 remaining in regulation with a pass from Connor McDavid. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Draisaitl perfectly capitalized on the overtime opportunity with another power-play goal with 31 seconds left. “Especially on the power play you’re looking to finish it. Some incredible plays that made it pretty easy for me to put that home. It’s a special feeling. It’s great for right now, but we’ve got to look ahead and get ready for Game 2,” the player said post-game.

National Anthem traditions in Game 1 between the Panthers and the Oilers 

It is a long-standing NHL tradition for both finalist teams to choose their own national anthem singers. Before the puck drops, the singers perform these anthems spectacularly. Similarly, during the latest clash, the crowd at Rogers Place witnessed performances representing both nations. The Oilers began with their longtime anthem singer, Robert Clark.

While talking about this tradition by the National Hockey League, the anthem singer said, “When we first started doing it in 2017, we came together and thought that this would be an awesome tribute, but also let’s make it our own and put me in the crowd.” He also added, “Put together those two things, and the crowd goes crazy. They love being able to sing the Canadian anthem.” 

Now, speaking of the Panthers, the series will shift to Florida for Game 3, but the team has yet to decide who will sing ‘The Star Spangled-Banner’. The Panthers previously tried out Adam David, the Season 27 winner of The Voice, but the performance didn’t go over well. NHL crowds generally prefer national anthems performed at a steady, traditional tempo, not too fast or too slow.

The decision has become tricky for the Florida team, especially after the backlash they received for choosing David. Until then, all eyes remain on Florida, as fans eagerly await to see who will set the stage for Game 3.