U.S.-Canada Tensions Turn Olympic Hockey Final Into a ‘Grudge Match’

Fans dressed in the red and white of Canada swarmed the 14,000-seat Santa Giulia Arena in Milan on Sunday as their men’s national team prepared to square off against the United States for what many regard as the most cherished gold medal in Canadian sports. Against the backdrop of growing political animosity between the Trump administration and Canada’s government, the game meant even more than usual to many Canadian fans who had flown in for one of the marquee events of the Winter Olympics.

“Let’s be honest, it’s a grudge match,” said Magda Palczynska, who was raised in Wolfsville, Nova Scotia, as her husband nodded. “Canadians feel insulted by who they thought were their allies. It’s a matter of pride.” Inside the arena the dance cam captured spectators from both teams, pumping flags and decked out in team gear; one American wore a jersey with 1980 across the front.

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