USA hockey team wants Donald Trump at Canada final in Boston after Justin Trudeau watched previous showdown
The USA hockey team would ‘love it’ if Donald Trump was to attend their grudge match against Canada in Boston on Thursday night.
The two nations played out a brutal game in Montreal on Saturday, which saw three fights inside the first nine seconds.
Tensions were running high throughout after Canada fans, in front of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, furiously booed ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ as it played pre-game.
The jeering came amid rising tensions between the two nations and close neighbors after President Trump recently threatened to impose tariffs on Canada.
Trump also suggested the country could become America’s ’51st state’ and called Trudeau ‘governor’, prompting backlash from the longtime ally.
The Americans managed to survive the hostile atmosphere to win 3-1 and progress to Thursday night’s final. Canada joined them on Monday after beating Finland.
The USA hockey team would ‘love it’ if Donald Trump was to attend their game against Canada
Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canada and suggested it could become the ’51st state’
Speaking on ‘America’s Newsroom’ on Monday, the US team’s general manager Bill Guerin spoke out on the chaos.
‘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.’
Guerin also called that game ‘the highest level of hockey ever played’ and extended an invite to Trump to attend in Boston.
He continued: ‘We would love it if President Trump was in attendance.
‘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.’
It remains to be seen whether Trump will go along but he has been at some high-profile sporting events since taking office again in January.
He watched the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs at the Super Bowl in New Orleans and was at the Daytona 500 last week.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau watched Saturday as the Americans won in Montreal
Tensions were running high throughout after Canada fans booed ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’
The two nations played out a brutal game, which saw three fights inside the first nine seconds
‘O Canada’, on Monday, was not met with the level of vitriol that the American national anthem received over the weekend, but a smattering of boos could still be heard in the Boston crowd amid mostly cheers before Canada faced Finland.
Before the anthems were played, the public address announcer asked ‘that you kindly respect the nation, its inhabitants and the players that represent each country.’
During player introductions, the Canadian team received a louder but still mixed greeting, with the exception of forward Brad Marchand, whose full-time job is with the Boston Bruins. The Finns were met with mostly silence.
The crowd featured many fans in red Canadian sweaters.
