POLITICAL tensions between the United States and Canada came to the fore in a captivating international ice hockey tournament organised by the National Hockey League (NHL).

The Four Nations Face-Off, played this year instead of the league’s All-Star game, featured NHL-based players representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States. They faced off in a round-robin before the top two teams contested a final on Thursday night.

International matches between Canada and the USA are always highlights in any sport, but this head-to-head brought with it extra political tensions.

The booing of the US national anthem at the first game between the two in Montreal kicked things off, and there were three fights in the opening nine seconds of the game. 

Even for a sport in which fighting is part of the game, this was notable and reflected the hostilities between the two countries instigated by the new US administration.

Boos for the US national anthem have been heard at NBA and NHL games in Canada since US President Donald Trump adopted an arrogant attitude towards the neighbouring country.

He announced plans for 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports to the US and has threatened to annex Canada. Trump regularly refers to Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, as a governor, as if Canada was merely a US state.

Trump supporters within the US hockey team took umbrage to the booing of the anthem and this raised competitive emotions on the ice.

The USA won the first game between the two in the round-robin, but they were always likely to meet again in the final as favourites to finish first and second in the group stage.

Canada’s overtime win against Sweden in their opener was key to their progress, and the USA’s only defeat came against the Swedes meaning the tournament got its USA versus Canada final in Boston on Thursday.

“I’ll be calling our GREAT American Hockey Team this morning to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada, which with FAR LOWER TAXES AND MUCH STRONGER SECURITY, will someday, maybe soon, become our cherished, and very important, Fifty First State,” Trump posted on his own social media website on Thursday.

“I will be speaking before the governors tonight in DC, and will sadly, therefore, be unable to attend.