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USA-Canada reached 5.2 million viewers, most for a non-Stanley Cup Final game in six years

USA's Jake Guentzel celebrating his empty net goal against Team Canada to secure a 3-1 win during the 4 Nations Face-Off (2025)
USA's Jake Guentzel celebrating his empty net goal against Team Canada to secure a 3-1 win during the 4 Nations Face-Off (2025)Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images/AFP
Everything about the USA vs. Canada matchup on Saturday lived up to the hype in many fashions and it ended up showing in the Nielsen ratings for the game as the game peaked at 5.2 million viewers - the most for a non-Stanley Cup Finals matchup since 2019.

The matchup that ended in a 3-1 win for the USA averaged 4.4 million viewers for the entirety of the game. It was the first time the two nations faced each other in nine years. 

Also, according to Big Head Hockey, the term "ice hockey" was searched the most worldwide on Google Trends during and after Saturday's game.

Before the game even started, after a thunderstorm of boo's raining down on the American National Anthem, the Canadians stood together and sang the Canadian National Anthem that would give any sports fan chills.

Then shortly after, the wild game started off with not one, not two, but three fights within the first nine seconds of the game. The first came between Matthew Tkachuk (USA) and Brandon Hagel (Canada), followed by Brady Tkachuk (USA) and Sam Bennett (Canada).

Then, after a blown whistle, J.T. Miller (USA) and Colton Parayko (Canada) went at it. 

Goals

Canadian star Connor McDavid got things started during the game after blowing by USA defenseman Charlie McAvoy for a beautiful backhanded goal that sent the Montreal crowd into an uproar.

But the USA responded with three straight unanswered goals of their own, with the first coming from Jake Guentzel.

From there on, Canada couldn't find a way to get the puck past the NHL's and USA's star goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who's potentially on his way to winning his third Vezina Trophy (best goalie award).

The USA went up 2-1 thanks to a beautiful laser by Dylan Larkin before Guentzel scored again with the empty-netter before time expired in the third period. Larkin said after the game, "That was one of the best experiences of my life. Just an unbelievable hockey game."

Canada will take on Finland at 1 p.m. Eastern time during Monday's slate of matchups while the USA will have their showdown against Sweden that night at 8 p.m.

The games on Monday, along with the championship game on February 22, will take place in Boston, Massachusetts (USA).at TD Garden, home of the NHL's Boston Bruins