Oilers Legend Wayne Gretzky Surprises Connor McDavid and Team Canada with a Gift

When "O Canada" was sung for the second time, there were no American fans left to boo. Instead, Team Canada, arm in arm at the blue line, watched in awe, as the Maple Leaf flag dropped behind the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy.

The rest of the crowd, some of whom were sporting red jerseys, sang along, voices echoing on the Americans' home ice.

Connor McDavid notched Canada's 3-2 overtime win over the U.S. Thursday night, turning what was essentially a warm-up for the 2026 Olympics into a war of anthems, turf, and hockey superiority.

Jordan Binnington recorded 31 saves, shutting down the U.S. for the final 20 minutes, in the same building where he won the Stanley Cup with the Blues five years prior.

Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Bennett also tallied, and Canada tied it 2-2 in the second and a scoreless, close third.

In overtime, following an insane amount of U.S. opportunities, Canada drew a faceoff in the offensive zone. Mitch Marner picked up the puck on the boards and created a pass for McDavid in the slot for the winner.

The Canadians spilled over the boards to rejoice, shook hands with their rivals, and took turns with the never-before-awarded trophy.

And to top it all off, there was quite a surprise, as Wayne Gretzky appeared in the dressing room, personally handing out red hats with 'Be Great' stitched on them, along with the crest of the Canadian team. The room completely erupted.

They were worn by the players one at a time, a reminder in their own eyes by The Great One himself that this was just the start. Fans simply cannot wait to see more best-on-best next year at the Winter Olympics in Italy.