After seven years, Canadian jerseys were stitched, and skates were sharpened as Canadians headed to the ice for the Four Nations Face Off. While the event is normally one of strong national pride and eager fans, this year was different.

There I was, sat at a corner booth in a packed restaurant, painted in red and white. Eager fans filled every seat, their eyes glued to the numerous televisions around the establishment. Every single TV emanated with the vision of slick ice, and tense players from team Canada and team USA.

The crowd oohed and awed, jumped from their seats, winced and panicked, threw their hands in the air at every movement flashing across the screen.

The energy in the room was remarkable—a buzz in the air—100 strangers with the exact same feelings. A sense of togetherness, but not in the normal fan base way. In a heavier way. A desperate way.

This win wasn’t just another notch in the belt for your favourite team. This was winning a war, declaring strength, power, and place.

The overtime clock started, and everyone was on the edge of their seats, wide-eyed, hands in their hair, watching anxiously, almost pleading. There were eerie silences of focus then sighs of relief every time the puck was saved, or a referee blew a whistle.

Finally, a roar, fans jumping from their tables, stomping their feet, screaming, throwing hats off, hitting tables. It was like nothing I had ever seen. A wave of celebration blanketed the nation, a rumble I’m sure could be heard from space.

Following the hugs, screams, and cheers, an in-sync chant of “F*** Donald Trump” filled the room. There is a win for a team you love, and then there is a win for your nation, your people, your pride, and that is exactly what this was.

“The game itself became political because hockey games, for a while, were becoming political. There’s always been a sense of Canadian pride. Canada has always been associated with hockey,” said Glen Morgan, a politics professor at Fanshawe College.  “We’ve been feeling attacked by the United States with Trump and the tariffs and all that type of stuff. I think this was the opportunity to kind of, up our national pride. And if we could win that game, that was going to help do so.”

For weeks leading up to the Four Nations, sporting events between the two countries saw high tensions, with some fans loudly booing the US national anthem at games in Ottawa and Alberta.   

“This has a certain degree of ugliness because of the tariffs. So, you can’t have that good-natured, talking trash between the two countries and stuff like that. That’s fun. What we’ve witnessed has not been fun,” Morgan said.

The game was a chance for the two rivalling countries to battle out the complicated emotions that come with losing one of your longest running allies.

Even politicians were getting in on the trash talk, with Trump posting to his Truth Social website that he was inviting “Governor Trudeau” to come watch the US beat Canada.

Footage of a phone call was also released showing Trump speaking with the team prior to the game, supporting them and throwing his faith behind them.

“Trump has always been like the moth to the flame, and in this case the flame is the spotlight. The idea of any press is good press. As long as people are talking about you, you are relevant. So, anything that he can gravitate towards and make himself relevant to it, I’m sure he will,” Morgan said.

In the end, Canada was triumphant in a loss for the US that was likely taken very personally, and a win that reminded one country who they are.

“You can’t take our country—and you can’t take our game,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proudly proclaimed on social media.