In Milan, the 14,000-seat Santa Giulia Arena was awash in red and white as Canadian fans gathered to watch their men’s national ice hockey team face off against the United States. This wasn’t just any game; it was for the most coveted gold medal in Canadian sports, and it carried an extra layer of significance.
Against a backdrop of growing political tension between the US administration and Canada’s government, the game felt more crucial than ever to many Canadian supporters who had traveled for this marquee event of the Winter Olympics. Magda Palczynska, originally from Wolfsville, Nova Scotia, took a deep breath as she spoke about the match’s importance.
“Let’s be honest, it’s a grudge match,” Ms. Palczynska declared, her husband nodding in enthusiastic agreement. “Canadians feel insulted by those they once considered allies. It’s absolutely a matter of pride for us.”
Before the game commenced, the arena’s dance cam showcased enthusiastic spectators from both nations, proudly waving their flags and dressed in team colors. One American fan notably wore a hockey jersey emblazoned with “1980,” commemorating the year the United States famously triumphed over the Soviet Union at the Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y.
This final was perhaps the most politically charged ice hockey game in recent memory, and a reminder of the last time the U.S. men’s team claimed Olympic gold. Canada, for its part, last won the gold in 2014.
An announcer, seemingly aware of the palpable atmosphere, urged fans not to “disrespect the other team” as warm-up time dwindled. A message on the jumbotron reinforced that the Olympic Games are a “family event built on the values of respect, friendship, and excellence,” reminding attendees to “treat other spectators, staff, and volunteers with courtesy”—a message notably absent from events like figure skating or speedskating.
Despite these pleas, audible boos met the U.S. team as they skated onto the ice for their pregame warm-up. However, when the Canadian players followed, cheers largely overshadowed any jeers.
Outside the arena, on the bustling plaza where fans queued for beer and posed for photos with the Olympic rings, Jeff Hunt, 50, a hockey coach from Virginia, Minn., and Rick Lehecka, 51, a retired business owner from Spring Grove, Ill., had purchased tickets a week earlier, unaware that the U.S. would even be playing in the gold medal game.
“It’s like gambling — you’ve got to take a chance, but we had faith,” Mr. Hunt commented. Acknowledging Canada was favored to win, he added, “It’s okay to be the underdog.”
He continued, “We share borders, so we have to be friendly, but when it comes to hockey, this is serious business.”
The pair had invested $2,600 per ticket for front-row seats, including one for Mr. Lehecka’s 14-year-old son, Kyron, a club team goalie.
Mr. Lehecka, sporting a red “Make America Great Again” cap, insisted he didn’t view the match politically. Yet, he recalled Canadian fans booing the American national anthem at the Four Nations tournament in Montreal just a year prior.
“I think they took it political,” he said. “I would never boo their national anthem. If they don’t like [a particular political figure], we elected him.”
Canadian fans, however, were unequivocal about the game’s political dimension. “It is political for us, absolutely,” stated Lloyd Tucker, 67, a Toronto fan clad in full Team Canada gear. “It never used to be, but it is now. It means more to us than it would normally. Hockey is our national sport, so if Canada doesn’t win the gold, it’s a profound loss.”