Connor Storrie’s first-ever host appearance on Saturday Night Live was all about hockey — both the fictional and real variety — with a dash of jabs at U.S. President Donald Trump.
The 26-year-old breakout star of Crave’s “Heated Rivalry,” where he plays a Russian hockey player opposite Canada’s Hudson Williams (who also made a brief cameo on SNL), hosted the show with musical guests Mumford & Sons.
In his opening monologue, interrupted by cheers after almost every line, Storrie spoke about his journey to fame, Texas upbringing and gratitude for his recent success.
At one point, Storrie also joked about how his own hockey skills pale in comparison to those who competed at this year’s Winter Olympics. That’s when American pro hockey stars Jack and Quinn Hughes entered the scene, flanking Storrie on both sides.
“No way man, I hear you’re great,” older brother Quinn said. Both wore their Team USA jerseys, with their Olympic gold around their necks.
“I got my teeth knocked out in the finals. Does that happen on your show?” asked Hughes, who scored the golden goal against Canada, adding that the brothers haven’t had time to catch the show. Storrie replied, “Metaphorically.”
Then, as Storrie said he wished some hockey players had seen “Heated Rivalry,” Hilary Knight and Megan Keller of the American women’s team stepped onto the stage, perhaps to even louder cheers than Hughes brothers received.
“Don’t worry, we saw your show,” Keller said. She scored the winning goal for the women’s team, also against Canada in overtime.
Knight, the women’s team’s captain, even got in a jab about Trump’s not-so-welcoming invitation to the White House. In a now-viral video call with the men’s team, the American president offered to fly the men’s team, but joked that he’d have to invite the women too or risk getting impeached.
The American women’s team later turned down Trump’s invitation to the White House, while the most of the men’s team, including Leafs captain Auston Matthews, met the president. Some later attended his State of the Union address, though not Matthews.
“It was gonna be just us (on SNL), but we thought we’d invite the guys, too,” Knight said in her appearance on the show last night.
Storrie commented on how both of America’s teams just won the gold. Quinn said it was the first time the men had won in 46 years — then Knight stared the camera down as she said the last time the women did that was “two whole Olympics ago.”
The moment has become the talk of the internet, after a whirlwind of comments, opinions and interviews centred around the way the men’s team handled Trump’s comments in the locker room, their appearance at the State of the Union, and their claims of not taking politics into account during it all.
“We’re so proud to represent the United States and we get the chance to go to the White House, meet the president. You know, we’re proud Americans. Not matter what your views are, we’re super excited to do so,” Jack Hughes said in a recent interview.
Reactions to the hockey players’ appearances last night included praise that the women’s team got the louder cheers, and more disdain for the men’s team.
Of course, there were also those who didn’t really care about the real-life hockey drama.
Instead, some viewing parties for last night’s SNL episode broke into raucous cheers when Storrie’s co-star Williams made an appearance in a skit.
In the end, everyone, including the real and fictional hockey stars hugged as the episode came to a close. Time will tell if that send-off might bring the recent U.S. hockey controversy to a close.
