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Brady Tkachuk Break Silence on USA-Canada Fights During 4-Nations Face-Off

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Feb 16, 2025 12:39 AM ET

Saturday night’s 4-Nations Face-Off matchup between USA and Canada started with some fireworks, and not because of any goal-scoring.

Three fights happened within the first nine seconds as Brady Tkachuk and Sam Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Hagel, and J.T Miller and Colton Parayko all dropped the gloves and had the Bell Centre in Montreal buzzing.

Brady got the best of his bout, trading haymakers and knocking Bennett’s helmet off with a powerful right hand. Matthew’s scrap was a little more evenly matched as both traded big swings and knocked each other’s helmets to the ice.

Miller’s brawl was the heavyweight bout of the trio of fights, but the 6-foot-6, 230-pound Parayko got the better of him in their exchange.

BRANDON HAGEL AND MATTHEW TKACHUK DROP GLOVES AT PUCK DROP

ABC pic.twitter.com/Agc8UN3fIo
— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2025

BRADY TKACHUK IS THROWING HAYMAKERS WITH SAM BENNETT

THIS RIVALRY IS OFF THE RAILS JUST THREE SECONDS IN @spittinchiclets

pic.twitter.com/jCfWhe5mdT
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 16, 2025

WE'VE GOT A THIRD FIGHT NINE SECONDS INTO THE GAME

JT MILLER AND COLTON PARAYKO pic.twitter.com/EcYyGPl8Ir
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 16, 2025

All three fights energized the crowd, but it appears only one of them was pre-planned.

“I think [Matthew’s fight] happened pretty organically,” Brady told ESPN during the first intermission. “Matthew said that he wanted to go first, it just happened and now it’s over and done with. … It’s right when Matthew found out the starting lineup, he said that he wanted a piece of [Hagel].”

Once Matthew asked Hagel if he would be a willing combatant, the 6-foot-2 forward was more than happy to oblige given their history.

“I think I blacked out on it,” Hagel told Sportsnet. “Trying to get some energy in the building, he asked, and I’m not backing down from him. … I think me and him have a pretty good history of going back and forth throughout the season. I thought potentially if we started together he was going to ask me — long time coming.”

Once things calmed down from the frenetic first nine seconds, Team USA settled into a groove. Connor McDavid put Canada up 1-0 just 5:31 into the first period, but Jake Guentzel tied it up five minutes later.

Dylan Larkin put the Americans ahead 2-1 in the second period before Guentzel added an insurance goal in the third period to seal the 3-1 win.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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