The 4 Nations Face-Off is off to a roaring start in Montreal. Team Canada took down Team Sweden in overtime after a furious comeback by the Swedes. And Team USA pulled away from Team Finland 6-1 on Thursday. Before that game, the American National Anthem was booed by Canadian fans due to the current political climate. Ahead of a matchup between the US and Canada, the American players reacted to hearing their anthem booed.

Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk was asked about the anthem booing and quickly said, “I didn't like it. And that's all I got.” His brother Brady is the captain of the Ottawa Senators and he did not answer the question. Other players spoke to The Athletic's Chris Johnston about the anthem booing.

“I think we like it,” JT Miller said. “Not politically, but maybe just as a sense of, we know where we’re at in Canada and I think that fires us up more than anything. So it’s great.”

“Everyone has their own views on things,” youngster Brock Faber said. “I’m honored to wear the red, white and blue. For us, we’re just focused on winning games. Obviously, the fans here are going to be against us.”

And defenseman Zach Werenski said, “They might just be booing us because we’re the U.S. team here. Obviously, I’m a proud American and I love playing for the USA and being an American. I don’t want to get into the political side of it, but it is what it is. I like to just view it as they want us to lose because we’re the U.S. team.”

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The 4 Nations Face-Off is about to explode

Team USA forward Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates his goal against Team Finland in the third period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre.
David Kirouac-Imagn Images

There may be no rivalry in sports with deeper roots than the US against Canada in hockey. The women's teams have played in six Olympic Gold Medal games and a continent-wide traveling rivalry series. The men's teams have not played in best-on-best since 2016, when Canada won. Their World Juniors teams continue to play classic games every year. And ever since the 2010 Men's Olympics, fans have been waiting for another classic.

The 4 Nations Face-Off was always anchored around this game. USA and Canada on a Saturday night in Montreal. You could not ask for a better stage in the sport. And now, recent events in Washington D.C. have increased the hatred of Americans by Canadians. Thursday was not the first time the Star-Spangled Banner has been booed north of the 49th parallel. Raptors and Canadiens fans have booed it in recent weeks.

The temperature on the 4 Nations Face-Off is about to be turned up. And if the teams meet again next Thursday in the title game, Boston won't be a welcoming environment for the Canadians.