Team USA took the ice for the first time during the 4-Nations Face-Off on Thursday night for their debut match against Finland. With the game being held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada, there were plenty of Montreal Canadiens fans in attendance, and they didn't have the warmest welcome for Auston Matthews when he was on the ice.
Matthews, who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs—arch rivals of the Canadiens—is not a popular figure among their fan base. Starting from the moment he was introduced during the pre-tournament ceremony on Wednesday, Matthews was treated to a chorus of boos from fans in Montreal. Those boos carried over into Thursday's action, too.
Matthews was again introduced before Thursday's puck drop, and the crowd responded by loudly booing the 27-year-old.
Round 2 of boo’s from this Montreal crowd for Auston Matthews 😳🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/nFfpMGfbdX
Then, during the opening minutes of the first period, Matthews could be seen skating with the puck and was once again the victim of some loud boos from the crowd.
They are BOOING Auston Matthews every time he touches the puck in Montreal 😅 pic.twitter.com/0SsULB2Agm
Despite Team Canada not playing on Thursday, the crowd let Matthews know exactly how they felt about him.
Speaking to reporters before Thursday's game, Matthews acknowledged the boos he received on Wednesday and admitted it was something he expected coming into the tournament.
"I'm pretty accustomed to the boos, especially in this building. I take it as a good thing, maybe a little sign of respect," Matthews said via TSN. He went on to speak highly of playing at the Bell Centre, an arena he's plenty familiar with.
While the boos persisted on Thursday, Matthews didn't seem to be fazed by it, accepting that he and some of his other teammates will be playing the "villain role" throughout the tournament.
feed
Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News team for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.
Follow Karlras920
© 2025 ABG-SI LLC. – SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC. – All Rights Reserved. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates, licensees and related brands. All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.
