The hockey rivalry between Canada and the USA is one of the most intense and long-lasting in international sports, built on a century of competition and cultural pride. Canada is often seen as the birthplace and heart of hockey, but the United States has always stepped up to challenge that status, resulting in some unforgettable matchups at the men’s, women’s, and junior levels. One of the big moments in this rivalry happened during the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, which took place from February 12 to 20 in Montreal and Boston.

The event was set up as a high-stakes alternative to the NHL All-Star Game, showcasing top players from Canada, the USA, Finland, and Sweden. But, it definitely faced a lot of scrutiny from the fans before. The crowd’s vibe totally changed as they watched the intense, high-stakes hockey between these competitive nations. It was an exciting final where Canada’s Connor McDavid scored the overtime winner, giving his team a 3-2 victory over the USA. Following that golden goal, McDavid described his experience, stating, “I was not very good all night. All that was going through my mind was just ‘Keep going.’ I struggled all night but these guys played great and we just found a way.”

However, it looks like this rivalry has no end in hockey. On X, NHL insider Chris Johnston reported: “Denmark eliminates Canada from the IIHF World Hockey Championship with a 2-1 win in the quarterfinals — one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.” This is really big for the American fans who have been looking for some payback since the 4 Nations Face-Off finals. Denmark’s win not only took them to their first-ever semifinal but also helped Team USA by knocking out their longtime rivals, Canada, from the tournament.

In an exciting quarterfinal showdown at the 2025 IIHF World Championship, co-hosts Denmark pulled off a surprising upset against tournament favorites Canada, winning 2-1 and making history for Danish ice hockey.

Canada really took control of the match, outshooting Denmark 40 to 33, and they finally broke the scoreless tie with a goal from Travis Sanheim early in the third period. But Denmark really showed their strength when Nikolaj Ehlers scored the equalizer with just over two minutes left on the clock. It all came down to that crucial moment when Nick Olesen took advantage of a rebound and netted the game-winning goal with just 49 seconds to go.

As if seeing their rivals fall apart on the international stage wasn’t enough to bring joy to American fans, there was even more to celebrate. So, Team USA actually made it to the semifinals in that tournament by beating Team Finland 5-2. How have American fans been reacting online to Team Canada’s historic defeat?

Canada’s defeat becomes a treat for American fans

Watching Canada crumble was a feast for American hockey fans. One fan said, “Canada SUCKS.” It seems like a lot of people were just as shocked, saying things like, “lol, lmao even.” One fan couldn’t help but poke fun at Team Canada’s win in the 4 Nations Face-Off Final, saying, “Hahahahahahahah 4 nations was their Super Bowl.” And there’s even more for the American fans to cheer about. Team USA pulled off an impressive 5-2 win against Finland, sending them into the semifinals and knocking out the 2022 champions.

Even though Finland got off to a strong start with a 2-1 lead thanks to power-play goals from Eeli Tolvanen and Patrick Puistola, the Americans came back with four goals in a row. Conor Garland really stepped up, scoring two goals—one to tie it and another with a perfect deflection to take the lead. Zeev Buium, Shane Pinto, and an empty-netter from Clayton Keller all contributed goals that helped the U.S. secure the win. A fan pointed out, “This was insane, an absolute collapse from Hockey Canada. The US handled Finland and advanced to the semi’s if you were wondering how the boys in the red white and blue did.”

While roasting Team Canada, another fan chimed in with, “Canada is so f***ing bad at hockey.” As the tournament approached, everyone had their eyes on Team Canada as a top contender. So, this knockout game loss was definitely a big surprise. Now, everyone is looking forward to Team USA and their performance in the semifinals against Team Sweden.