The 4 Nations Face-Off has been a huge success for the NHL, with the confrontation of Saturday between The US and Canada Draw mass reviews.
And NHL commissioner Gary Bettman Know that the recipe for success has been a mix of both national pride and a love for hockey.
Players and fans stand for the American national anthem before 4 countries face-off match between Canada and the United States in Montreal on Saturday 15 February 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
During a performance at FOX Sports ‘Breakfast Ball’ on Wednesday morning, Bettman praised the success of the tournament, which brought the biggest stars of the competition back to the center of the center with an early 2026 Winter Olympic Games In Italy.
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“The amount of excitement and attention that 4 nations have received is phenomenal,” he said. “And I think a lot of people – not just hockey fans – watch the rematch between Canada and the US tomorrow night.”
Team USA and Canada will have a rematch of the Round-Robin match on Saturday in which the Americans won a 3-1 victory with a background of increased political tensions between the two nations. Those gorges were emphasized when Canadian fans boosts During the national anthem For two of the games of America.
In response to the anger of the crowd and the passion of the players on the ice, which resulted in different fights, Bettman said on Wednesday that he would not have expected otherwise.
Dylan Larkin of the United States is celebrating his goal over Canada with teammate Matt Boldy during 4 countries Face-off promotion in Montreal on Saturday 15 February 2025. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)
“Our players played to play. Hockey players are so – even when they play on a pond, they like to play the game, they love to go out completely. And again, this ability to represent their countries again – and Don’t forget that the teams are incredibly filled with the world’s best hockey players from most countries. ”
The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament is the precursor of two of the most expected events of Hockey-De Return of Hockey at the Olympic Games and the World Cup Hockey.
“The fact is that we have not had the best for about 10 years and there are many reasons for that,” Bettman said. “Many people were crucial and said,” This is ridiculous, nobody is going to look at it, players will not be intense about it. “There is no doubt about how our players like to play the game and represent their countries.”
Commissioner Gary Bettman during a press conference prior to the Stanley Cup Final match between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers in Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida, on 8 June 2024. (Sam Navarro-usa Today Sports)
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According to the competition, the Saturday match between the US and Canada attracted more than 10.1 million viewers in North America-in the top of every last match of Stanley Cup in more than ten years.
The two teams meet again in the championship match on Thursday at 8 p.m.
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