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WARMINGTON: Hockey fans to pack pubs, legions, arenas for gold medal breakfast
· Toronto Sun
Just call this the golden Canadian Christmas morning in February that can start off with a cold one at 6 a.m. – for any hosers who choose to indulge before the sun rises.
It doesn’t get any more Canadian – the Breakfast of Champions – courtesy of Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
Visit sweetbonanza.qpon for more information.
“The entire country will be watching on Sunday morning as our men’s hockey team plays for Olympic gold,” the Premier posted on X . “To help us all celebrate Team Canada, the province will be allowing bars and restaurants across the province to sell alcohol starting at 6:00 a.m.”
The puck drops in Milan, Italy at 8:10 a.m. in what may turn out to be the most watched hockey game in history – u ndefeated Team Canada versus undefeated Team USA.
But this isn’t just a hockey game. This is war! At least a metaphorical one, on a frozen battlefield.
It is fitting that it will be in sport where the past year of cold war between President Donald Trump’s America seeking to claim Canada as its “51st state” and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s quest for a “ New World Order ” comes to a head.
This battle will be settled on the ice.
And if last winter’s Four Nations Cup previous two clashes between these two hockey countries is any example, this could be one epic battle of for the ages not seen since 1812. Move over Miracle on ice. This is war on ice.
The bragging rights are huge. The Americans have not won hockey gold since 1980, so they certainly are due.
Canada – with the NHLers – last won hockey gold in 2014, so for many young people this is their 2010 when Canada won on Sidney Crosby’s golden goal in Vancouver in overtime against the Americans.
Canada all in on ice war
For the 2014 gold medal game in Russia, then- mayor Rob Ford and then-city councillor Doug Ford also opened up the pubs at 6 a.m. That turned out to be a winning celebration. Time will tell how it works out this time.
There is so much on the line here. No one wants to lose and everyone wants to watch this game – Canada is all in.
From your own home to Scotiabank Arena to your local pub and even your local Royal Canadian Legion Branch, there many places Canadians will pack to root on their countrymen.
“Let’s all come together, support local businesses and cheer on Team Canada!” Ford said.
Many pubs are opening up for a breakfast of bacon, eggs and pancakes – or one of a liquid variety.
“We are all excited and rooting for Canada,” said Michelle Zanussi, owner of Scruffy Murphy’s on The East Mall in Etobicoke. “Go Canada.”
Over at Timothy’s Pub on Brown’s Line, Tim Brem has Canadian flags and red and white colours up all over his establishment – and white and red Christmas lights up at his house, too.
“We are pumped,” Brem said. “Our phone has been ringing off the hook. This is what unites us.”
“The sense of Canadian Pride we’ve felt during these Olympic Games is unmeasurable,” he added. Go Canada Go!”
At Mulligans on Dundas West in Mississauga, like Michelle and Tim, fellow legendary publican Rick Hugglestone is ready for packed house.
Much deserved for pubs, restaurants and legion branches, which not long ago suffered through the pandemic. They deserve a medal for that and they deserve a big day Sunday.
“There’s no better place to catch the action than at your local Legion. Bring your friends, wear your red and white, and cheer on Team Canada together with your community,” the Royal Canadian Legion said in an X post . “Let’s pack our branches and show our Canadian pride!”
Fans in Scotiabank Arena won’t be cheering for Leafs captain
Thousands of hockey fans are expected to fill The Vault as well.
“We are excited to offer a special opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with thousands of hockey fans to celebrate a significant moment in our country’s sports history,” said Terri Mattucci, VP Fan Engagement, MLSE, adding at the Scotiabank Arena. “We look forward to gathering in Toronto’s heartbeat of hockey and home of the Maple Leafs as we ignite the spirit of Canadians nationwide.”
Fans won’t be cheering for Maple Leaf’s captain Auston Matthews of the American side. But, ironically, they will be cheering former Leaf s star Mitch Marner on the Canadian side.
Doug Ford will allow Canadian bars, restaurants to serve alcohol at 6 a.m. for Olympic gold hockey game https://t.co/NU71R8PKcr pic.twitter.com/MgT9YTOyDR
— New York Post (@nypost) February 21, 2026
While there does not seem to be the same public swelling of national pride on the American side for this game so far in terms of pubs opening for a special breakfast to take in the final, things are heating up on social media. Even the New York Post covered Ford opening the bars up at 6 a.m. We will see if the Americans will follow suit.
Profane social media posts like “lets beat those maple syrup loving, bagged milk loving stupid accent communist moose f…ers” or “Canada we are going to F you up” have been popping up on X .
Those are fighting words!
But our American friends certainly know that every beer, wine or spirit consumed during this Breakfast of Champions won’t be from the United States since the Premier has banned those products already.
The battle of two great nations is set to go and when it ends, one team will be Olympic champions.
As Wayne Gretzky says , this is like a sibling rivalry where brothers and sisters may fight but in the end are still family.
Of course, it doesn’t quite feel like that here on what is effectively Christmas Eve. It feels more like two bulls charging at each other to see who wins.
As the Great One says, hopefully, however it ends, the players on the ice and the fans – wherever they watch – tip their cap to the other side, shake hands while raising a golden toast to the winner of a game that will no doubt be talked about for years.