The Dallas Stars have canceled their watch party for their road playoff game, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday night outside the American Airlines Center. This decision was made out of respect for the victims and families of the Allen shooting that took place less than 30 miles away from the arena just a day prior.
Heartbreak Over the Mass Shooting
During the team’s morning skate on Sunday, Stars coach Pete DeBoer expressed his heartbreak over the shooting that killed eight people at Allen Premium Outlets. The shopping center is located only 14 miles from the team’s practice facility and offices in Frisco. DeBoer said that his family and Stars players often shop at the outlet mall, which makes the tragedy even more difficult to comprehend.
Difficulty of Playing a Game After a Tragedy
DeBoer acknowledged that it was hard to focus on playing a game after such a tragic event. He stated that it is easy to compartmentalize and put aside tragedies like Sandy Hook, Parkland, and Nashville, but when it happens in your backyard, the horror of it becomes more apparent.
Stars and Kraken Split First Two Games of Series
The Stars and Seattle Kraken have played the first two games of their best-of-seven series at the AAC in Dallas on Tuesday and Thursday nights. The watch party that was canceled on Sunday night was similar to others the Stars have hosted during their road playoff games.
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