Ducks' Trevor Zegras jokes unique national anthem rendition contributed to slow start

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"The Star-Spangled Banner" became a polarizing topic in the NHL over the last month because of a feud between President Donald Trump and Canadian officials over tariffs.

The national anthem became a talking point again in the league for a different reason.

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Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras, #11, during the first period against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on March 18, 2025. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Bruce Gust performed his own rendition of the anthem at the Bridgestone Arena before the Nashville Predators took on the Anaheim Ducks. He brought out bongos to help add a rhythmic beat to the song.

Ducks star Trevor Zegras joked that the unique performance affected his play at the start.

"I think the bongo anthem threw us off a little bit in the first," Zegras said. "But once we recovered from that, we were back to our game, which was good."

He finished with a goal and an assist as Anaheim won the game, 4-1.

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Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras, #11, celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, on Thursday, March 20, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Since the start of February, fans in Canada have booed the U.S. national anthem amid the back and forth between Trump and Canadian lawmakers. Americans have returned the favor by booing "O, Canada" during performances in U.S.-based arenas.

The issue came to a head in hockey during the 4 Nationals Face-Off