On Thursday night at TD Garden in Boston, Canada is set to face off against the Americans in a one-game, winner-take-all showdown for the championship of the 4 Nations Face-Off, and many Nova Scotians are worked into a patriotic fervour.
“Well, Canada and the U.S. for God’s sake. There’s not going to be any better hockey anywhere,” one man told CTV Atlantic at the Mayflower Mall in Sydney, N.S., on Thursday afternoon.
In North Sydney, the owners the Commercial Street Deli came up with their own way to get pumped for the big game - with a promotion that honoured the three Nova Scotian stars on Team Canada.
“We decided to go with the ‘Nova Scotia mafia’ and do three burgers today - with Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand,” explained deli co-owner Amanda Donato.
The Crosby is their signature bacon jalapeno burger. The MacKinnon is straight-up ketchup and the works. The Marchand, the deli owners say, is, like the player himself, perhaps not to everyone’s taste.
It’s a peanut butter burger.
“(I’m a) pretty big die-hard Toronto Maple Leafs fan, so Brad’s not my favourite but this time we have to cheer for him. He’s good for Canada,” Donato said.
Andy O’Brien, a strength and conditioning coach who has worked with all three Maritime players, will be watching the game with interest.
“I think I’ve kind of turned into a bit of a fanboy during this tournament,” joked O’Brien. “They’re pros, and they’re very, very good at just focusing on playing. Once that puck drops, it’s just hockey.”
As for how Marchand feels about being the enemy for one night, in what is typically his home rink in Boston?
“It doesn’t matter,” Marchand told reporters before the game. “I really don’t care either way. You don’t play for the crowd. You don’t worry about the crowd when you’re playing.”
The star-studded Team Canada lost to the United States 3-1 during their round-robin meeting last Saturday.
“It’s going to be a very, very tight game but I think Canada is going to come out on top,” said a customer at the Commercial St deli who purchased all three Nova Scotian-themed burgers.
“I don’t want to dare say that I think we’re going to lose, but I hope the boys step up tonight,” Donato said.
“This is it. This is ours. This is Canada’s tonight,” said the man at the Mayflower Mall.
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