Canadian Hockey Fans Boo U.S. Anthem

It wasn't enough that Montreal Canadiens forward Mike Ribeiro dramatically hammed it up while going down with a slight injury in last night's hockey game vs. the Boston Bruins.

And it wasn't enough for Canadians that the Canadiens won the game.

No, once again, Canadian hockey fans took the opportunity to bash the U.S. by booing our National Anthem (they have done it several times, and recall the American youth hockey team that was booed during its visit to the Great White North?).

Canada's Globe and Mail reported, "The noise faded briefly during the middle of the song, but grew stronger during the final bars."

Boston Herald reporter Karen Guregian wrote: "This wasn't just a few drunken, callous nitwits, mind you. This was a healthy portion of the Bell Centre crowd hooting on 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'"

Bruins assistant coach Martin Lapointe, who is from Canada, told the Herald: "I really think it's a lack of respect. Those Americans are out there in Iraq, fighting for the United States. There's no respect there ... Am I embarrassed? Yes, I am," he went on. "There's no need for that. The national anthem should be respected. What they did tonight ... I feel ashamed."

No one has ever, ever had to sing "Oh, Canada" over the boos of Americans, so why do the Canadians continue to disrespect us like that?

It's a mystery, although one Canadiens player opined that since fans paid $200 to be there, they can do whatever they want.

Uh-huh.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Montreal Canadiens said the front office will "encourage their fans not to boo the American national anthem before playoff games with the Boston Bruins."

Uh-huh.

No mention of reprisals, or not booing any other team. So glad we get so much support from our friends to the north. Of course, the Canadiens are owned by George Gillett Jr., a businessman from Colorado. Way to go, George.

The Candaian News Web site Canoe reports that after past boo-fests, a video message on the scoreboard from Hall of Fame center Jean Beliveau also did not directly ask fans not to boo, but merely encouraged them to celebrate hockey.

Apparently, for Canadiens fans, their celebration includes repeatedly bashing "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Editor's note: