Madden Monday: Fights to start Team USA-Canada game 'devalued' the moment

A lot of people went crazy about the Team USA hockey win over Canada on Saturday, in large part because of the three fights in 9 seconds to open the game.

USA vs. Canada started off in MADNESS ????

????: ABC/ESPN+/Disney+ pic.twitter.com/BrWlXzMb7J

— ESPN (@espn) February 16, 2025

For his part, though, Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 The X didn’t like the fights at all.

“I thought it was one of the best hockey games in terms of skill, speed and intensity I’ve seen in quite some time. But I thought the three fights in 9 seconds really devalued what happened after a great deal,” Madden said during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. “I just can’t endorse it. I don’t buy into the fact that it was a show of intensity. Football players don’t fight. No one accuses them of lacking intensity. Every other (team) sport doesn’t fight. … I don’t see why it is thought to be so necessary for hockey.”

Madden felt that way because he believed the fighting was pandering to the politicization of the event with the booing of the “Star Spangled Banner” by Canadian fans in Montreal.

“Do we really want to politicize hockey or sports in general? There is just a lot about that beginning I didn’t like,” Madden continued. “It’s not necessary, and in the Olympics, it’s out-and-out banned. You can’t do it.”

As for the game itself, Madden thought the American victory over the Canadians was even more pronounced than what the 3-1 score indicated.

“I thought the superiority over Canada was much more overwhelming than I ever expected,” Madden said. “You can say that Canada was missing Cale Makar, and they were. But the U.S. is missing Quinn Hughes for the whole tournament. I think the U.S. is clearly the better team. I was shocked by the difference in the level of play.”

In particular, Madden believes that Sidney Crosby’s performance took a step back after he was the first star of Game 1 for Canada over Sweden. The Penguins captain was a minus-2 on Saturday after assisting on three of Canada’s four goals Wednesday.

“Sid seemed to lack whatever he had in the first game. Whether the adrenaline dissipated and the injury kicked in, I do not know. But that was not a terrific game for him,” Madden said.

One Penguin on Team USA who did distinguish himself, according to Madden, was head coach Mike Sullivan.

“I thought Sullivan coached a great game. Canada, with (Jon) Cooper, was panicky,” Madden said. “They started switching lines radically throughout the game. I think when you have as many good players as they do, you trust your first instinct.”

Also, during the podcast, Madden and I talk about the Steelers’ quarterback situation, the Pirates’ clumsy offseason and the new Led Zeppelin documentary.