Leafs fans save American anthem singer that forgot lyrics to O Canada

Toronto Maple Leafs fans are proving themselves to be worthwhile anthem singers.

After stepping up to help sing the Star Spangled Banner in Toronto earlier this month following a microphone malfunction, Leafs fans helped out another anthem singer on Thursday.

This time, in South Florida.

Canadian hockey fans attending a Maple Leafs-Panthers game at FLA Live Arena bailed out American singer Ryan Michael James, who appeared to forget the lyrics to O Canada early on in the anthem.

Trouble began after he sang "in all of us command," with the singer struggling through the rest of the song, mumbling in parts, while the crowd kept the anthem on track.

Oh Canada 🇨🇦 gets butchered! He also butchered the American anthem. Yikes! 😂 #ohCanada #anthem #butchered #panthers #leafs #LeafsForever #leafsnation #Leafs #nationalanthem #Florida #OhCanada #NHL #nhl #torontomapleleafs #mapleleafs #Canada pic.twitter.com/1MtLHQiif0

— Tonio (@To_neo71) March 24, 2023

Turns out, he had a good reason for messing up the song.

James was initially booked to sing only the American national anthem for the game, and found out just two hours prior to puck drop that he would also be singing O Canada.

"Still trying to learn the words to 'O Canada," he posted on Instagram less than two hours before attempting the Canadian national anthem.

Maybe an hour before the leafs vs panthers game wasn’t a good time to be trying to figure out the words to the Canadian national anthem… pic.twitter.com/y0RnhUzQ2P

— mego (@eastcoast_eq) March 24, 2023

James later apologized for the error, telling Toronto's Kiss 92.5: "Canada I am so sorry for flubbing the lyrics… I promise it was not intentional."

The American singer, who was not previously familiar with the Canadian anthem, said he was promised the lyrics would be displayed on a screen while he was singing.

"They were not," he said. "As much as I rehearsed it, I panicked and couldn’t get back to where I needed to be."

Leafs fans in attendance left the arena happy, as Toronto won the game 6-2, creeping closer to clinching a playoff spot with the victory.