USA vs. Canada: Three Fights in the First Nine Seconds | 4 Nations Face-Off

Chaos Unfolds Right from the Start

As soon as the puck dropped, Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel went at it. Hagel, representing Tampa, and Tkachuk, a Florida Panthers star, engaged in a heated exchange that got the crowd roaring. Just as Hagel skated away, he urged the fans to turn up the energy even more.

Meanwhile, Sam Bennett—who was thrust into the lineup for the first time in the tournament—was on a mission to match Team USA’s physicality. Brady Tkachuk, already on the ice, called out to Bennett before the faceoff: "Hey Benny, after this, we’re going." Moments later, fists were flying as Bennett and Brady squared off, adding to the early-game fireworks.

Setting the Tone for a Fierce Battle

As if two fights in three seconds weren’t enough, Colton Parayko and J.T. Miller decided to settle their own score. With Parayko holding a significant size advantage, Miller still stood his ground, proving that neither team was backing down. The opening moments of this game immediately evoked memories of classic, hard-nosed international hockey rivalries.

Veteran NHL referee Dave Jackson weighed in on the brawls, saying, "This is just awesome hockey. There's nothing to do as a ref but let them get it out of their system. In a couple of minutes, we’ll have a great back-and-forth game."

A Night to Remember in Montreal

The intensity of this matchup immediately brought fans back to the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, the last time the United States won a major international best-on-best tournament. Keith Tkachuk, a key figure in that legendary series, watched proudly as his sons Brady and Matthew carried on the family tradition of hard-hitting, passionate play.

With emotions running high and the teams trading blows—both physically and on the scoreboard—this USA vs. Canada battle will be remembered as one of the most explosive starts to an international hockey game in recent history.