Thousands of US Hockey Fans Sing Canadian National Anthem Amid Rising Tensions Between Neighbors
In Buffalo, New York, just miles from the Canadian border, nearly 20,000 mostly American hockey fans spontaneously sang the Canadian national anthem after the singer's microphone failed before a game. The gesture of goodwill comes amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Canada over trade tariffs and annexation threats.
Fans in Buffalo, just miles from Ontario, filled the silence when a microphone malfunctioned before the game.
The Electric City. The Nickel City. The Queen City. The City of No Illusions.
Buffalo, New York, has accumulated many nicknames over the years, but in an era of heightened tensions between two traditional allies, one nickname has taken on extra meaning: The City of Good Neighbors.
Buffalo, located at the head of the Niagara River, is known for its small-town atmosphere and warm welcome, especially to visitors from Canada.
This week, before a crucial hockey game between two U.S. teams, singer Cami Clune began a tradition that has existed for more than half a century: singing the Canadian national anthem. The Buffalo Sabres are an unusual team in the National Hockey League (NHL) as the only one that honors its northern neighbors – even when the game is between two U.S. teams.
But as Clune launched into the opening refrain, her microphone malfunctioned and her voice disappeared.
A crowd of nearly 20,000 filled the silence.
Most were Americans – and knew all the lyrics. As the anthem swelled, the crowd cheered even louder.
“That was amazing!!” Clune wrote on social media afterward. “Thank you all for singing along with me. We have the best fans!”
This warm gesture took place against the backdrop of a sharp rift between the two nations that has lasted over a year. Last year, a largely Canadian crowd booed the U.S. national anthem during an international tournament held in Montreal. People in Toronto also jeered the 'Star Spangled Banner' before a basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Clippers.
The root of the tension lies in Donald Trump's threats to annex Canada and impose punitive tariffs on key Canadian industries. Provinces have responded by pulling American wines and spirits from store shelves. Canadians maintain a travel boycott southward, causing major tourist destinations to panic and seek to mend the geopolitical rift.
But like most border communities, the geographic proximity between the two nations has fostered deeper and more overlapping relationships. Canada is visible from the roof of the KeyBank Center in Buffalo and is just a 10-minute drive from the border during peak hours.
“I don't think people understand how fluid the border is between Buffalo and southern Ontario. People cross all the time for little things like shopping, going to the beach, attending university, and in some cases for work,” one user wrote on Reddit, adding that many Americans take advantage of the lower drinking age to the north. “Now everyone is suffering because of geopolitics, but western New York and southern Ontario are siblings.”
Others viewed the anthem as a “matter of respect” for Canadian fans, adding that “the sentiment is mutual regardless of what our governments are doing or saying at the moment”.
