Team USA vs Canada Has Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock Feels

When the schedule was released, it was the most anticipated game of the Four Nations Faceoff: Team USA vs. Team Canada at the Bell Centre in Montreal on a Saturday night. This has a big fight feel in boxing or UFC, but the best equivalent is Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. The Rock at Wrestlemania.

And there is a chance these two teams could meet in the championship this coming Thursday in Boston. Everyone knows pro wrestling is scripted, but who says professional sports isn’t? Everyone talked about the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL, but the NHL has a little script, too.

The NHL and NHLPA could not have asked for a better main event on Saturday night. It is USA vs. Canada the greatest hockey rivalry of its current generation. Canada has won three straight games against the United States in the last three best-on-best tournaments at the men’s level. Then there is what happens at the women’s level with Team USA vs. Canada.

They exchanged gold medals at the Olympics, and that was a physical battle not only at the Olympics but also at the World Championships. But Team USA has become the team to beat at the junior level, as that is where Team USA has done its damage, especially in Montreal. Team USA won Gold at the Bell Centre in 2017, beating their rival. The USA beat Canada again in 2021 in Edmonton to win gold, too.

Now, the story has been set up for the Americans to beat Canada in a big game. The Americans have two of the best big-game players, Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk. Both players are looking forward to playing against Canada and know how to cut a promo before the big game.

“I think I have thought about this game for nine years. So we will be ready for it,” Matthew Tkachuk told Sportsnet’s Kyle Bukauskas.

“Well, I think it’s gonna be the biggest game that I’ve ever played in my career,” Brady Tkachuk said to RG Media. “So I’m really looking forward to that.”

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While Matthew has played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals for the Florida Panthers, this is Brady Tkachuk’s first taste of playoff-type hockey. In fact, it is higher than playoff hockey. As he joked, he is the player who leads the league in the most watched playoff games over the last couple of seasons.

It has that Wrestlemania main event hype—something the Tkachuk brothers are ready for.

“Yeah, there’s a big build-up to it. And US vs. Canada. It’s bigger than just the guys on the ice. It’s so many people past, present and future down the road, I was just so excited for it,” Tkachuk added to RG Media. “So yeah, I think we’ve been talking about that game especially, and really excited to experience it.”

Again, this Austin-Rock level is here. Nothing was bigger back in the Attitude Era of wrestling. You can Austin and Vince McMahon. Those two were bigger rivals. But the names on the marquee were Steve Austin and The Rock. There were three Wrestlemania matches. Two were won by Austin, with the biggest prize on the line: the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 15 and Wrestlemania X-Seven.

Then Austin did the honors at Wrestlemania 19 for the Rock, putting him over. Team Canada will not be laying down or doing the honors for Team USA. They will not concede goals to let their rival win. That is the equivalent of what happened when Austin took the pin. The Americans will have to earn their victory. With a win in regulation, the Americans clinch a spot in the championship game.

Austin and Rock headlined Wrestlemania in Houston, Texas, back in 2001. That is the equivalent of what will happen Saturday night with Canada hosting Team USA at the Bell Centre. Everyone knows how special that night will be.

“I know the environment will be electric,” Team USA Head Coach Mike Sullivan told RG Media. “It will be a really fun environment to participate in. I know both sides are looking forward to this opportunity.”

Now the fans just need My Way by Limp Bizkit to be the soundtrack to the game. That is something that needs to happen Saturday night for USA vs Canada. The atmosphere will be amazing and with the added anthem controversy the tension will rise even more.

It is a double main event like Wrestlemania 8, except this time, we are getting what we want. Canada vs. Team USA is Ric Flair taking Hulk Hogan as it should have been then. The fans told us what they wanted, and now they will get it on Saturday night at the Bell Centre.