Nationwide Arena hosted an exhibition on Friday night, only it didn’t feel like an exhibition. It felt like an event. Drape a flag over a game and everything changes.Team USA and Canada played a World Cup of Hockey practice game before a near-sellout crowd of 17,791 and a contingent of local, continental and international media. It was a thumping affair, too, fast-paced, exciting and as chippy as Team USA wanted it to be. The Americans prevailed 4-2 with an empty-netter.
All the players stood for the anthem. Of course, they were lined up on the blue lines and they were on their skates already, but nobody kneeled or sat. This is something people were watching. Why? After Colin Kaepernick’s demonstration, Team USA coach John Tortorella — who for years has exercised his First Amendment rights as if he were Lenny Bruce — threatened to scratch any player who sat during …