The recent 4 Nations Face-Off tournament witnessed a renewed surge in the USA-Canada hockey rivalry, marked by heated games, national anthem controversies, and on-ice altercations. The Boston crowd echoed the earlier sentiment from Canadian fans in Montreal, booing the Canadian national anthem during their game against Finland. This followed similar incidents during a previous match between the U.S. and Canada, where boos directed at the American anthem were met with three fights in the opening seconds of the game, ultimately resulting in a 3-1 U.S. victory.

The tension surrounding these games extended beyond the rink, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's comments on the anthem boos drawing online attention. Furthermore, the ongoing trade discussions and political banter between the two countries seemed to fuel the fire, adding another layer to the already intense rivalry. Some players, like American defenseman Zach Werenski, openly expressed their disapproval of the booing, while others seemed to take it in stride, using it as motivation. Werenski acknowledged that the team anticipated the negative reception from the crowd, given similar incidents in previous NHL games. He stated that while they weren't surprised, they certainly didn't condone the behavior.

The animosity between the teams culminated in a series of fights immediately after the puck dropped in their head-to-head match. The Tkachuk brothers, Matthew and Brady, were involved in separate altercations with Canadian players, highlighting the physicality and intensity of the game. Despite an early goal by Canadian star Connor McDavid, the U.S. rallied to secure a victory and a place in the championship game. Canada's subsequent win against Finland set the stage for a highly anticipated rematch with the U.S. in the final. The atmosphere surrounding the championship game was charged with anticipation, leaving spectators wondering if the intense rivalry would lead to further incidents.