Team USA hockey wants former President Donald Trump at their big game. They take on Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off championship Thursday night.
The U.S. punched their ticket with a thrilling win over Canada on Saturday. Canada secured a rematch after beating Finland 5-3 on Monday. Team USA general manager Bill Guerin extended an invite to Trump. “We would love it if President Trump was in attendance,” he told Fox News. “We have a room full of proud American players and coaches and staff. And listen, we’re just trying to represent our country the best way we can.”
Saturday’s game in Montreal was heated from the start. Canadian fans booed the U.S. national anthem, a growing trend. Moments after the puck dropped, chaos erupted. Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, along with JT Miller, brawled with Canadian players. Three fights in a row set the tone for a hard-hitting battle.
Canada struck first, going up 1-0. But Team USA roared back with three unanswered goals. They secured a 3-1 victory, handing Canada its first loss in best-on-best international hockey in 15 years.
Did the anthem-booing or political tension play a role? Guerin thinks so. He believes the U.S. players used the “political flare” as motivation.
“Canada-U.S. is a huge rivalry in hockey,” he said. “I think there was a little bit of a political flare to it. It’s just the time that we’re in. I think our guys used that as inspiration. If you let it get the better of you, then you’re in trouble. But I really do think the players used it as inspiration.”
Trump has been a fixture at major sporting events this month. He attended Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. On Sunday, he was driven around the track at the Daytona 500.
Now, Team USA hopes he’ll be in Boston for their biggest game yet.