Thursday night's 4 Nations Face-Off championship game between Canada and the United States was possibly the most-anticipated hockey game in years, and it absolu

The result was the culmination of a midseason tournament that featured stars from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States — and a surprisingly political atmosphere.

Connor McDavid scored at 8:18 of overtime to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the United States on Thursday night as the North American rivals turned what had been a tune-up for the 2026 Olympics into a geopolitical brawl over anthems and annexation as much as international hockey supremacy.

Chantal Kreviazuk, who performed the Canadian anthem prior to the 4 Nations Face-Off title game Thursday changed a lyric as a rebuke to President Trump's repeated remarks about making the country the 51st state.

President Donald Trump has been threatening a trade war with Canada. One contention is his charge that the markets of America’s northern neighbor are not truly open to many U.S. businesses. He promises trade turmoil until he feels that the northern border is more secure and American businesses are getting a fairer shake.