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
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) February 14, 2025
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
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 14, 2025
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.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fans Relentlessly Booed Auston Matthews During USA's 4-Nations Game vs. Finland.
