Texas’ complete handcuff for the rare winter invasion of the state is a frightening situation, and thousands of people without power or heat in sub-zero temperatures are a real problem. You know it. I know that. But, apparently, the Dallas Stars don’t seem to know that and demanded that the Dallas Mayor’s office illustrate the point for them.
Do you remember the stars of episodes like trying to defend America and defend / fuck the flag when no one asked last week. This time, until an hour or two before the scheduled game with the Nashville Predators, they planned to play at the American Airlines Center with all the frozen hell loosening around them in the Metroplex. Energy residents were asked to conserve what they could for fear of overloading the grid.
In the meantime, here were the stars trying to set an entire arena on fire for a hockey game. This tweet by Stars beatwriter for The Athletic Saad Yousuf was less than two hours before the puck-drop was:
So this statement was released by the NHL within an hour of playing time:
G / O Media can receive a commission
Apparently, the mayor of Dallas had to ask the stars to do the right thing and not use the power necessary to keep an arena running for this game. AAC is on the same network as local hospitals, so you would think it would be common sense, with scarce electricity, not to want to risk it. But this is not the kingdom in which the stars live. After all, there is a hymn to play! This will show the snow!
Although you have to admit, there is something truly symbolic about the Stars running to defend the honor of an inert flag and a tradition that doesn’t really serve anyone, but has to be dragged and pushed beyond the line when it comes to really helping people in your hour of need. Perhaps the stars are as American as we were told.
Meanwhile, in places where teams could get on the ice without putting their community at risk, the Maple Leafs jeopardized the mental well-being of their always serious and reasonable fan base by blowing up a 5-1 four-goal lead to the Senators and lose in the OT, 6-5. The Leafs won 8 out of 10 before that to reach first place in the NHL’s RoughRider division. But their departure before this one saw them explode an advantage in the third period for the Canadiens, and now that defeat will surely make TSN boys wondering if they have to set Freddie Andersen on fire to appease the hockey gods or something.