By Jim Diamond

A mid-November tilt in Toronto between the homestanding Maple Leafs and the Nashville Predators produced disastrous results on the ice for the home team in the form of a 9-2 loss to the Predators. But prior to the start of the game, the home fans rescued an anthem singer whose microphone died during her performance of the Star-Spangled Banner.

The Air Canada Centre faithful cleared their throats and finished the U.S. anthem in a united voice prior to puck drop.

When the teams squared off against one anther in the Leafs’ only visit to Smashville this season Tuesday night, the Bridgestone Arena crowd returned the favor to their Canadian brethren by joining Brett Kissell in the singing of “O Canada” as a cross-border gesture of goodwill.

Following the song, the Maple Leafs players on the ice tapped their sticks in appreciation.

Nashville captain Shea Weber was impressed as well.

“That was neat,” he said. Like they pointed out, the Toronto fans did a great job there of finishing the American one. That’s pretty cool. I wasn’t sure if a lot of people know (the Canadian anthem). We don’t hear it a lot down here, so that was very impressive.

Weber is a two-time gold medal winner with Team Canada.

Good on you Smashville.

Now if the two countries could just find a way to eliminate the exorbitant tariffs on Canadians traveling south and Goo Goo Clusters heading north, that whole NAFTA thing will be complete.