By R.J. Morales | TX3DNews.com
Last week, Texas sports fans got the full rollercoaster—bat cracks, playoff hits, and even a good ol’ cross-border anthem controversy. Both the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars were on the road, flying the Lone Star flag from Boston to Detroit, and all the way up in Winnipeg. The results? A mixed bag of wins, losses, and one moment that had Canadians booing Texans—politely, of course.
Stars Light It Up (and Get Booed) in Winnipeg
The Dallas Stars kicked off their second-round NHL playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets in the Great White North, where the hockey was hot and the hospitality came with a side of sass.
Game 1? Dallas came out firing. They secured a hard-fought 3–2 win to steal home ice advantage. But the real show came before the puck even dropped.
During the US national anthem, as the word “stars” echoed through the arena, a handful of die-hard Dallas fans couldn’t resist the urge to shout “STARS!”—a tradition at American Airlines Center. Winnipeg was not amused. The boos came fast, proving that even the friendliest rivalry can have a little bite when you mess with O Canada.
To their credit, everyone kept it light. No fights broke out. No maple syrup was spilled. Just a moment of international sporting mischief in the midst of serious playoff hockey.
Game 2 went Winnipeg’s way in a 4–0 shutout that reminded Dallas what hostile territory really looks like. But the Stars bounced back in Game 3 with a dominant 5–2 win, led by Mikko Rantanen’s goal and two assists and solid goaltending from Jake Oettinger. With a 2–1 lead in the series, the Stars are proving they’re more than just anthem hecklers—they’re Cup contenders.
Rangers Go 3–3 on the Road, and That’s… Something
Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers took a six-game road trip through Boston and Detroit and somehow managed to land exactly in the middle. After a week that included a shutout loss, a 10-run explosion, and a reminder that bullpens are not built on hope alone, they ended 3–3.
In Boston, they won the opener 6–1 behind a solid Nathan Eovaldi start, then dropped the next two—one a tight 6–4 game and the other a frustrating 5–0 shutout that made Red Sox pitching look like vintage Pedro.
Detroit didn’t start much better. The Rangers dropped a 2–1 nail-biter on Friday but came alive on Saturday with a four-homer, 10–3 demolition job. Sunday’s 6–1 win closed the week with another gem from Eovaldi and two-run blasts from Marcus Semien and Josh Jung.
Consistency? Not quite. But life signs? Definitely.
Anthems, Trade Talk, and That Texas Swagger
The Rangers might not be playoff-bound just yet, but the Stars are skating toward something big. And while international tensions have been running high between the U.S. and Canada on issues like trade and tariffs, it’s oddly refreshing to see the only real dispute this week came from a loud “STARS!” during a solemn anthem.
It’s a reminder that sports can still be silly, passionate, and a little rebellious—and that Texans, no matter the arena, will always make their presence known.
So whether you’re shouting at a ref or just shouting during a national anthem, last week proved one thing: Texas fans travel well. And loudly.
R.J. Morales covers Texas politics, sports, and culture for TX3DNews.com.
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