“Bongo Anthem threw us off,” Trevor Zegras blames anthem for a slow start against the Predators

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Mar 25, 2025, 20:01 IST

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American ice hockey center Trevor Zegras blamed the Bongo National Anthem for a slow start in their game against the Nashville Predators. The Ducks secured a 4-1 win. The anthem performed by Marine Corps veteran Bruce Gust with bongo drums may have distracted the players, with mixed reactions from X users regarding its impact and uniqueness.

“Bongo Anthem threw us off,” Trevor Zegras blames anthem for a slow start against the Predators

(Image via Getty)

“I think the bongo anthem threw us off a little bit in the first (period), but once we recovered from that, we were back to our game, which was good.” American ice hockey center for the Anaheim Ducks blames Bongo National Anthem for a slow start in the beginning against the Nashville Predators. The Ducks accumulated 1-0 in the first period, later opened up in the second, leading to a 4-1 win against the Predators.
Bruce Gust sang and performed the Bongo National Anthem at the Bridgestone Arena, where the NHL game between the Ducks and Predators was held. Bruce Gust is a Marine Corps veteran. Gust brought a pair of Bongo drums to play before and along with the National Anthem - The Star-Spangled Banner. The groovy, jazzy, strong, rhythmic, driving, energetic, and pulsing Afro-Cuban music generated from the Bongo drums distracted Trevor Zegras at the beginning of the NHL game. That kind of music has the power to make you want to tap your feet and start dancing.

How can music distract NHL players from an NHL game?

According to Huel,
"Music can create a listening bubble around you, which can prevent external distractions from entering your ears. This may have affected Trevor Zegras and all the other players, meaning that the Bongo National Anthem had that rhythmic and beat music, which may have distracted them from performing well in the first half.

According to the National Institute of Health Sciences,
“Music can be as distracting as noise, and as a result, can negatively affect the performance of a sports skill.” - meaning that the Bongo drums could have distracted ice hockey center for Anaheim Ducks, Trevor Zegras, from performing to the fullest in the first half.

X users react to Trevor Zegras' response to Bongo National Anthem

One X user wrote, “Zegs is right. I would be thrown off too from that abomination”
Another X user penned, “Why are there anthems at the games anyway? Doesn’t make sense unless it’s international games like 4 nations that just happened”
A third X user loved the rendition of Bongo drums for the National Anthem, “That’s actually a pretty cool rendition!👍🏼👊��”
A fourth X user thought Trevor Zegras' response was funny, “announcers should've given Trevor more love on that cuz that was funny ��”
Also Read: "So embarrassing," Boston Bruins fan expresses frustration over tragic 2-7 loss to the LA Kings | NHL News - The Times of India

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About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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