ESPN broadcaster talks navigating politics while calling USA-Canada 4 Nations final: 'Had to say something'

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The USA-Canada hockey rivalry reached its hottest point earlier this month at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and the fans — and politics — played major roles.

In USA's first game of the tournament, which was against Finland in Montreal, the Canadian crowd booed the "Star-Spangled Banner." Two days later, the Montreal crowd again booed the USA anthem before the two bordering countries got into three fights in the first nine seconds of their highly anticipated team.

Sure, politics may not have directly led to the fights, but they sure were the main factor for the large boos. 

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Overview of the stadium during the US National anthem prior to the start of the during the first period against Team Canada during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden. (Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images)

The national anthem battles began earlier this month when Ottawa Senators fans booed the "Star-Spangled Banner" on Feb. 1, when Trump's tariffs on goods from Canada to the U.S. were set to be implemented (they have since been delayed). It also happened during a Toronto Raptors game the next day, and it carried over all the way to Boston, when Americans faintly booed the Canadian anthem in both of their games on USA soil.

Sean McDonough was on the call for the final, which wound up being a 3-2 overtime win for Canada over USA, but he said while he needed to keep focus on the ice, he felt a need to bring up the politics between the two countries.

"I think in this instance, we had to say something," McDonough said on the "Sports Media" podcast. "I felt like I had to say something because it was an