Canada, USA get into three fights in nine seconds to open 4 Nations Face-Off game

Then, on the second faceoff, Brady Tkachuk took on Sam Bennett, with Tkachuk getting the knockout.

The game then went another five seconds before the third fight, with J.T. Miller and Colton Parayko going at it. The referees were forced to break that one up after the two players tired each other out.

International hockey events hosted by the IIHF – such as the World Juniors and World Championship – doesn’t permit fighting. The 4 Nations Face-Off, however, is hosted and sanctioned by the NHL, with five-minute majors being handled out when players fight, just like in the NHL.

The fights occurred just minutes after MMA legend Georges St. Pierre came out on to the ice to introduce Team Canada. Then, with The Star-Spangled Banner ringing through the Bell Centre, audible boos could be heard from the Canadian fans.

The United States entered the game with the upper hand, having beat Finland 6-1 for three points on Thursday. Canada, meanwhile, had only beat Sweden 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday, giving them two points.