Montreal Canadiens followers briefly carried “The Star-Spangled Banner” after the microphone lower out earlier than Sport 3 of the Japanese Convention closing towards the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday.
Quebec singer Éléonore Lagacé and three backup vocalists started singing the American nationwide anthem with no sound coming from the audio system.
The spectators on the Bell Centre then picked up the lyrics for about 5 seconds earlier than the microphones got here again on.
A stirring rendition of “O Canada” adopted as Lagacé paused to exclaim “êtes-vous prêts, Montreal!” — which interprets to “are you prepared, Montreal!” — earlier than hitting her closing notice.
Monday’s temporary carrying of the anthem contrasted with final 12 months’s Bell Centre reception for “The Star-Spangled Banner,” as followers loudly booed the anthem amid political tensions earlier than a Canada-U.S. sport on the 4 Nations Face-Off match in Montreal.
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The response additionally comes lower than a month after followers at KeyBank Middle in Buffalo sang “O Canada” when a microphone failed earlier than the Sabres and Boston Bruins performed Sport 5 of their first-round playoff sequence.
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Could 25, 2026.
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