Buffalo fans come together to sing Canadian national anthem after singer’s mic cuts out

The 19,000 or so hockey fans at KeyBank Center—most of whom are American—didn’t skip a beat. They chimed in without hesitation and helped Clune finish the anthem with flair as her mic went in and out.

Just listen to the incredible unscripted moment:

Moment sparks a huge reaction

The clip of the group singing went viral across social media, racking up more than 100,000 views on the official NHL YouTube channel. Clune’s video drew another 60,000 views. The Sabres post, captioned simply “Chills,” racked up nearly a million views on its own.

Commenters from Canada were incredibly moved by the seemingly simple gesture:

“Thanks Buffalo fans, means a lot in these times, it’s good to see this.”

“This is exactly what Canada needed. Thank you Buffalo!”

Americans, for their part, were proud to be reminded of the goodness of their friends and neighbors:

“Was at the game last night and we did not hesitate. We Love You Canada our great neighbors.”

“Thats the America I remember. Thank you, Buffalo.”

Clune, meanwhile, took the near-gaffe in stride. She was moved by the way the entire stadium came together to have her back.

“Well that was interesting!! Thank you all for singing along with me. We have the best fans ever!” Clune wrote on Instagram.

It’s common for sports fans to boo other countries’ national anthems. Buffalo fans made an inspiring choice.

Booing at sports games does not usually come from a place of hatred. It is often a playful way to engage in the rivalry. For example, American and Canada hockey fans have long booed each other’s national anthems during high-stakes Olympic Games matchups.

However, Buffalo fans have proven themselves over and over to be a little bit different. Not only are they some of the fiercest (and wildest) sports fans around, but they are also among the most hospitable.

In this case, maybe they just sensed the moment. It has not been an easy year or two when it comes to United States-Canada relations. And let us be frank, Canada has not been super pleased with the U.S. for some time now, as evidenced by its own sports fans’ reactions to our anthem.

But the real story is not on the news every night or coming out of the mouths of politicians. Basic human kindness and mutual respect between neighbors still exist. Buffalo fans took the opportunity to remind us that we are all on the same team. The fact that they already knew every word of their neighbor’s national anthem is incredibly moving and powerful.

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