NHL Power Player thrilled to be part of 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal 

Editor’s note: NHL Power Players is an initiative focused on selecting young hockey fans to help advise the League on hockey-related topics important to their generation. Here, Jaxon Pang, a 17-year-old from Kapolei, Hawaii writes about his experience at the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off at Bell Center in Montreal on Feb. 15:

This year, the NHL put together an international event, providing the world with best-on-best hockey once again. I was given the incredible opportunity to attend one of the games in this 4 Nations Face-Off: The United States vs. Canada. This much-anticipated game between these hockey rivals was an incredible experience, with a new style of showcasing the world’s best players on the biggest stage.

My 4 Nations experience in Montreal started off with the NHL Fan Festival, which was held at the historic Windsor Station, right next to the Bell Centre. This venue consisted of many different booths and interactive areas where fans could immerse themselves into the lifestyle of hockey. With areas and exhibits featuring the Hockey Hall of Fame, NHL Sense Arena, Tim Hortons, Upper Deck, and other sponsors, I was able to get the ultimate fan experience. I was there at the time of the Finland vs. Sweden game, and it was displayed for everyone on massive screens in the Windsor Station, which really got the fans going. The most incredible thing about the Fan Festival was the public presentation of the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy, which everyone was able to take pictures with. This felt extremely exclusive, as it was one of the first times the trophy has been displayed, and it was definitely a highlight of my trip.

I explored the venue with the other Power Players, and we visited all of the sponsors, including Upper Deck, NHL Sense Arena, and Rogers. At Upper Deck, we were all able to take individual pictures which could be printed as playing cards, which gave us all a customized piece of memorabilia to remember this experience by. The NHL Sense Arena station allowed fans to test the virtual reality training simulator as a player and goalie, which was such a cool concept to me. Lastly, we stepped outside to test our skills at Rogers’ accuracy contest, where each person got five pucks to shoot at a small target on a real sheet of ice.

Once we were all geared up from the Fan Festival, we headed across the way to the Bell Centre in the light snow, the excitement buzzing throughout the fans entering the arena. From the second I walked into Bell Centre, I felt the tension between fans supporting their country’s team. The atmosphere was incredible, as everyone was bustling with energy before puck drop. As the national anthems were sung, chills ran through my body as the entire Montreal crowd sung along to the Canadian anthem in French.

The start to this hockey game was hands down the most electric start to any hockey game I have ever witnessed and probably will ever witness in my lifetime. With all of the built-up tension between these two powerhouse teams, the players expressing their passion within the first few moments of this game was incredible to watch. It truly felt like I was watching the most talented athletes in the world put everything on the line for their country’s glory, for a new prestigious trophy in this sport.

The emotions and stakes continued to rise as the play continued. Connor McDavid, Canada’s ace in the hole, opened the scoring in the first with a nasty backhand, absolutely blowing the roof off Bell Centre. But the USA team refused to back down, and Jake Guentzel responded a few minutes later with a sneaky shot that beat Canada goaltender Jordan Binnington between the legs. This physical battle remained scoreless throughout the second period until Dylan Larkin of the United States took advantage of an odd-man rush. Both teams played phenomenally for the remainder of the game, but it was the U.S. that came out on top, as Guentzel finished it off with an empty net goal.

Ultimately, this game was unlike any other I have ever experienced, and I am so grateful to have been able to attend this incredible event. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the NHL Power Players manager Brittany Hayes, to NHL Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Executive Vice President Heidi Browning, and also to my fellow NHL Power Players for making this event possible, enjoyable, and unforgettable.