The 4 Nations Face-Off is off and running in Montreal. Team Canada opened up the tournament by fending off a Sweden comeback in overtime. Team USA followed up the next night with a 6-1 blowout win over Team Finland on Thursday.

But before that game, the US National Anthem was booed by the Canadian crowd. Brad Marchand spoke with TSN's Chris Johnston about the anthem booing on Friday.

“They should not be booing the Americans during that anthem,” Marchand told Johnston. “They have nothing to do with the political things that are going on. I do feel bad for those guys in that moment. I don’t think it’s right.”

The US National Anthem has been booed at some Canadian sporting events since Donald Trump was inaugurated on January 20. To start his second term, Trump has threatened a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and to annex the country and make it the 51st state. Canadians are expressing their frustrations with that by booing the American anthem at NHL and Toronto Raptors games.

Next up for the 4 Nations Face-Off is Rivalry Saturday. Team Finland and Team Sweden begin at 1 p.m. in Montreal, which is primetime in their home countries and then the main event at 8 p.m., USA vs Canada. The US National Anthem will be a storyline Saturday night.

The US National Anthem will be a major part of Saturday night

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Team Canada forward Brad Marchand (63) celebrates his goal against Team Sweden in the first period during a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game at Bell Centre
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You could not draw up a more perfect hockey game than the best Americans against the best Canadians on a Saturday night in Montreal. The current political climate brings another layer to the game that should get the teams even more fired up. Matthew Tkachuk said on Thursday that he has been waiting nine years for this game. Hockey fans have too.

On the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukaskas spoke about the anthem singer on Saturday night. “Have you noticed that they refuse to say who's doing the anthem on Saturday night?” Freidman asked. When Bukaskas agreed that he had not heard anything, the insider said he had asked around, and it was being kept a secret.

So both anthems on Saturday night will have massive anticipation. With the US National Anthem likely getting booed, the Canadian anthem should be a thunderous rendition from the crowd. And with a surprise singer coming in, it could be the viral moment of the tournament.

Saturday night will be about hockey once the microphones get put down. But the opening anthems of the US and Canada will be storylines of their own.