MONTREAL (AP) — The much-anticipated showdown Saturday night between the United States and Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off ignited quickly, featuring three fights within the opening nine seconds.

Right after the puck dropped, Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel exchanged blows, setting the tone for the match. In a rapid sequence, Brady Tkachuk clashed with Sam Bennett immediately after the next faceoff, followed by J.T. Miller and Colton Parayko getting into a scuffle after some commotion near Canada’s goaltender, Jordan Binnington, who had covered the puck.

Following the third fight, Canada earned a power play opportunity as Miller received penalties for both cross-checking and fighting.

This intense start followed a highly charged atmosphere in the Bell Centre, where a significant portion of the sold-out crowd vocally expressed their displeasure by booing the U.S. national anthem. Hundreds of fans had queued for over 90 minutes before the game, and they continued to boo every time a U.S. player appeared on the video screens during the pregame warmups.

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