After losing to the United States in the round robin of the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Canadians got their revenge in the championship game when it mattered most — and the win called for some polarizing postgame celebration music choices.
The 4 Nations finale went into a golden goal overtime period tied at 2-2 before Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid slapped a goal past the United States to give the Canadians the victory.
“That finish was so special for us, for the country, for our families,” Canada goalie Jordan Binnington said.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Binnington added regarding Canada’s 4 Nations championship win.
So what song did the Canadians choose to encapsulate the “surreal” moment?
Nickelback’s “Burn it to the Ground.”
Nickelback has been subject to plenty of jokes, disdain and trolling for quite some time now, but the Canadian rock band was shown some appreciation with Team Canada’s use of their song as a postgame victory anthem.
When the United States beat Canada in the first matchup, the Americans celebrated with Aerosmith’s “Dream On” in the locker room — a perfect tribute to the iconic “Miracle” hockey movie that featured the song.
The 4 Nations Face-Off was only an exhibition tournament, but clearly its players took things pretty seriously. From fights, to playing through injuries, to an emotional game-winning goal — the tournament laid the blueprint of an exciting event that fans would surely like to see return.
For the United States, the loss halted the country from getting its first best-on-best international tournament win since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, which remains the United States’ only best-on-best international tournament win.
The 4 Nations Face-Off took place in lieu of the NHL’s All-Star Weekend. NHL All-Star Weekend festivities will return in February 2026 on Long Island at UBS Arena in Elmont — the home of the Islanders.
