HALIFAX - The Canadian and American national women鈥檚 hockey teams aren鈥檛 worried about the current political climate overshadowing Game 4 of the Rivalry Series.
Players and coaches from both sides of the border are ready to hear boos at Halifax's Scotiabank Centre on Thursday evening, whether politically motivated or not, but they're focused on the intense rivalry between some of hockey's best players.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely an interesting time,鈥 Canada forward Blayre Turnbull said following Wednesday's practice at the 10,500-capacity rink.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if that would happen here in Halifax, but I think the magnitude of this game is bigger than politics right now."
Fans at several professional sports events in Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, and Vancouver have booed the American national anthem over the past week, apparently in response to a brewing trade war between Canada and the United States. Spectators in Nashville returned the favour on Monday when the Predators hosted the Ottawa Senators.
Talks between Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday led to a pause in raised tariffs on imports to the two countries.
Turnbull, 31, is from Stellarton, N.S., and knows what to expect from a Maritime crowd. She believes fan excitement will overpower any dissent during the singing of national anthems.
鈥淭he fans and all the young kids in the stands are going to be so over-the-moon excited and overjoyed to have the opportunity to watch us play, that I don鈥檛 foresee any booing taking place,鈥 Turnbull said.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be more of an empowered atmosphere where everyone is there to cheer us on and just promote our game, and hopefully that鈥檚 all that happens.鈥澛
Canada head coach Troy Ryan had "some brief conversations with some individual people" about the North American political divide, sparked by executive orders from Trump over the weekend that threatened to raise tariffs on Canadian imports.
Ryan said the subject, however, hasn鈥檛 been discussed as a team.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely not part of the noise within our group,鈥 said Ryan, from Spryfield, N.S. 鈥淚f they decide they want to talk about it, we鈥檒l talk about it, but it鈥檚 not something we think we have to get ahead of."
鈥淚 think hockey is just not a place for a lot of political views,鈥 he added. 鈥淲e understand people鈥檚 concerns but we鈥檙e here to just put on a show 鈥 and play against our biggest rival.鈥
Canada currently leads this season鈥檚 five-game Rivalry Series 2-1 after the U.S. hosted the first three meetings this past November.
American head coach John Wroblewski says his young squad is ready to stage a comeback Thursday in front of what will be a raucous Canadian crowd.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need to say much more about the passion that Canadians have for their sport,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he political unrest that鈥檚 happening in arenas right now 鈥 I don鈥檛 have a lot to comment on with that.
"What I would like to say is that the celebration of this amazing event should be on display. This is one of the coolest sports events.鈥
Turnbull, Ryan and Canadian assistant coach Kori Cheverie of New Glasgow, N.S., hope their homecoming is a special experience after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the 2020 world women's hockey championship in their home province.
The popularity of the six-team Professional Women鈥檚 Hockey League, which has brought new fans to the game and is already looking at expansion, is also adding to enthusiasm for the female game in both countries.
鈥淟ast night at the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame, we had a lot of young athletes, young women, young girls that play hockey,鈥 said Ryan, who is also head coach of the PWHL鈥檚 Toronto Spectres.
鈥淭he PWHL has just exposed it on a whole other level. The international game, and the Canada-U. S. Rivalry Series, has probably been a great foundation for what the PWHL has been able to build on; it鈥檚 just an exciting time for women鈥檚 hockey and women鈥檚 sports in general.鈥澛
Fans of all ages decked in PWHL merchandise filled the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame on Tuesday to meet Montreal Victoire captain Marie Philip-Poulin and Toronto Sceptres captain Turnbull, among others.
鈥淎fter worlds got cancelled a few years ago, I didn鈥檛 expect the opportunity to come back and play at home, so I鈥檓 really excited about it," Turnbull said of Thursday's matchup. "It鈥檚 a game that I鈥檝e been looking forward to since it was announced.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait for the puck to drop.鈥澛
Game 5 of the annual Rivalry Series is set for Saturday at Credit Union Place in Summerside, P.E.I.聽
Notes: Canada assistant coach Caroline Ouellette, senior manager of player development and scouting Cherie Piper and general manager Gina Kingsbury all won gold at the 2004 worlds at the same arena, then called the Metro Centre. Canada beat the U.S. 2-0 in front of a sold-out crowd 鈥. Canada came back to claim last year鈥檚 Rivalry Series with four straight wins to beat the U.S. 4-3 in the seven-game event.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2025.
