The Stars “dropped the ball on Friday when the team held its ‘Hockey is for Everyone’ night,” as the team “forgot to wrap its warm-up sticks in rainbow tape," which many teams have done this season in support of the LGBTQ community, according to the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. There also “was no expanded pregame ceremony to honor the day.” Stars President & CEO Jim Lites said, “If we dropped the ball, we apologize. It's been a hectic week. We have been focused on [announcer Dave Strader] and his return and doing work for the cancer society in conjunction with that.” However, fans “were not happy with this reasoning.” There is “still no word if the Stars will do anything to rectify the mistake” (DALLASNEWS.com, 2/27).
LEADER OF THE CAPS: In DC, Scott Allen noted Capitals G Braden Holtby on Thursday “debuted the equality-themed mask” that he wore during Friday’s game against the Oilers, as part of the Capitals’ “Hockey is for Everyone” celebration. Holtby, a “longtime champion of LGBTQ rights who led the Capitals in last year’s Pride Parade, is the Capitals’ designated You Can Play ambassador.” His custom mask will be “auctioned off to benefit You Can Play, a nonprofit that works to ensure equality in sports without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity” (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 2/24).
