Game 1 of the third round NHL playoff series between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars is on Thursday night, and politicians in each region have placed a friendly wager on the series.
In a post on social media, Premier Danielle Smith said she challenged Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to a bet involving, what else, beef.
“When the Oilers beat the Stars, you must eat the world’s best steak, an Alberta rib steak, on video and comment on just how amazing it is,” the premier said in her challenge.
“If the Stars win, which is highly unlikely, I will do the same.”
Responding to Smith’s post on social media platform X, Abbott accepted the bet, saying: “You’re on.”
“I bet the world’s best ribeye — which is only found in Texas — that the Stars beat the Oilers,” he said.
“Go get ‘em, Dallas Stars!”
The friendly wager comes following several similar bets during the second round of the playoffs, between counterparts in Alberta and British Columbia.
Global TV’s morning news teams in Edmonton and B.C. made good on their bet for the second-round series between the Oilers and Canucks series on Wednesday morning.
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Vancouver anchors Sonia Sunger and Jason Pires appeared on Global Edmonton’s Morning News, not-so-proudly wearing Edmonton Oilers jerseys.
“They actually look pretty good with the set,” said Sunger, who admitted she already owned the jersey from her time living and working in Edmonton.
“It could be worse. We could be wearing a Leafs or Flames jersey, we wouldn’t like that. So this is actually not too bad,” Pires added.
“I have to give credit where credit is due. The Oilers were the better team in the series.”
Global Edmonton anchor Erin Chalmers prepared a script for the B.C. pair to read live on air.
“Deep down, we knew it would happen and it did. The Edmonton Oilers, of course, defeating the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night. They are a better team with better players,” Sunger said in part.
“With Vancouver now out of the running, we are thrilled to throw out 100 per cent support behind the Oilers,” Pires said. “As Canadians, let’s cheer for the last Canadian team in the running and the team we all know we bet on to hoist Lord Stanley at the end. The best team in the NHL — the Edmonton Oilers.”
Smith and B.C. Premier David Eby had a bet going during Round 2 when the Oilers faced, and ultimately defeated, the Vancouver Canucks.
Smith proposed that the loser deliver a statement in the legislature written by the winner while wearing the other’s team jersey. In a social media post Tuesday afternoon, Eby said he will be proud to honour the bet.
“I’ll even be cheering for Edmonton along with Canadians across the country as they take on Dallas,” Eby wrote.
Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim also had a bet going.
In a post on social media, Sim challenged Sohi to fly the Canucks flag outside city hall and wear one of the team’s jerseys, should Vancouver come out of the series victorious.
Sohi happily accepted, saying an Oilers jersey was on the way to Sim.
The mayors don’t appear to have publicly settled the bet just yet.
Sim took to X on Tuesday to say to Sohi: “We’ll be in touch.”
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