Coming off their opening night victory, the Dallas Stars kicked off the road portion of their schedule against a familiar foe in the Vegas Golden Knights. Including their heartbreaking Western Conference Finals series last spring, Tuesday’s tilt in Vegas would be the tenth time that the two teams had met in 2023.
With the familiarity of the two clubs established, the re-match for the Stars represented a golden opportunity to wash the taste of the playoff series from their pallets. However, Vegas had designs of their own, coming into the contest with a perfect 3-0-0 record, posting a +11 goal differential in that span of games.
It’s tough and irresponsible to place must-win importance on the second game of the season, but an early season marquee match-up can tell folks a lot about a Dallas Stars team with Stanley Cup designs.
First Period
The first five minutes started sluggishly for both sides, with Vegas and Dallas trading possession up and down the ice. The Stars however, had the most impressive shift of the early going, spending a significant amount of time in the Vegas end, when the Jamie Benn, Wyatt Johnston, and Evgenii Dadonov trio controlled play. Aiden Hill had to bail out the Knights, making a stout save on a solid cross-ice chance for the Stars.
The Stars offensive zone movements were very simplistic in the first period, with the club trying to go low-to-high from the half-wall. This was successful in opening up passing lanes for the Stars, but the rust from opening night seemed to persist a bit in the early going. On the defensive side, Vegas was attacking primarily off of the rush, with their zone-time coming off of Stars turnovers. At the ten minute mark the game remained scoreless, with Vegas holding a slight 4-3 shot advantage.
An observation from the first fifteen minutes, the Knights were extremely impressive off of the rush, no matter which line was on the ice. Like in the playoffs, each line for Vegas looked the same, and much sharper with the puck then Dallas. Speaking of the Stars, as the period went along they looked more comfortable, but continued to have moments where they struggled with the puck. These struggles with puck management cost the Stars when Mason Marchment committed a tripping penalty after the Stars were forced to chase back to their own net following a turnover.
Luckily for the Stars, Jonathan Marchessault committed an interference penalty on Ty Dellandrea, evening the game up to four-on-four to end the period.
Shots:
Dallas 8 Vegas 7
Score:
Dallas 0 Vegas 0
Second Period
The second frame started with fireworks, when Nicolas Hague and Jamie Benn decided to drop the gloves in the first minute. The fight tilted towards a Benn victory, with the captain landing a solid right to Hague’s face. It is safe to say that this was the Vegas answer to the Benn play on captain Mark Stone in Game 3 of the playoffs in the spring.
Shortly after play resumed, Dallas’ Matt Duchene would find his way to the penalty box after committing a delay-of-game infraction. The power play, Vegas’ second of the contest, forced Jake Oettinger into action to keep the game scoreless. The Dallas kill was aided by a key intercepted pass that Roope Hintz sent down the sheet.
Following the penalty kill, Dallas was able to transition up the ice and establish zone-time. A point shot by Thomas Harley, created a net front chance from Tyler Seguin that Aiden Hill was able to stop. However, Hill left a rebound out front that Craig Smith cleaned up for the first goal of the game and his first goal as a Dallas Star.
Momentum would stay with the Stars after Paul Cotter committed an interference penalty, giving the Stars their second power-play of the night. Unfortunately for the Stars, Vegas displayed their stellar penalty kill, remaining perfect on the season at 11 for 11.
After dominating the majority of the period, the Stars lost coverage at their blue line, giving Vegas defenseman Kaeden Korczak a clean look at the net and past Oettinger to even the score at 1-1. Following the goal, Marchment and Brett Howden would fight at center ice, adding more physicality to an already chippy evening.
Late in the period the Stars would find themselves in penalty trouble again when Esa Lindell committed a tripping penalty in the Dallas end. The penalty was another instance of the Stars sloppy play with the puck. Moments later, bad would turn to worse with Ty Dellandrea taking a seat for holding on Jack Eichel, sending Vegas on a five-on-three advantage for the rest of the period.
Shots:
Dallas 17 Vegas 20
Score:
Dallas 1 Vegas 1
Third Period
Dallas would remain short-handed at the start of the final period, but would survive the danger and reduce the Vegas power play to 0-4 on the night. The Stars would actually record the most dangerous chance of the early going when Lindell and Roope Hintz went on a quick two-on-one that Hill stopped.
The Stars weren’t done though, capitalizing on the momentum and a Vegas icing, Hintz won a face-off back to Joe Pavelski who ripped a wrist shot past Hill. The goal gave the Stars top trio their first goal and points of the season and restored the Stars one goal lead.
Vegas would push the issue at the ten minute mark of the period, hemming in the Stars, who repeatedly reloaded the Knights attack with failed clearances. After a few moments of danger, Dallas was finally able to clear and end the sequence unscathed. While the Stars did have issues clearing the puck, it was impressive to see the team hold their defensive shape and deny Vegas interior chances under pressure.
As the game went along it was evident that the Stars top line was starting to find their stride. The return of Roope Hintz definitely helps, but Jason Robertson was more noticeable as the game went on. That’s a good sign for Robertson. who has attracted a ton of attention from defensemen looking to take away time to shoot the puck. The threat of Hintz and his speed/play-making ability, opens that time back up for Robertson.
With under three minutes to play, Dallas again, lost coverage in their own end. The result was a wide open William Karlsson who deflected a point shot to tie the game at 2-2. The Stars were solid for most of the night in their own end, keeping their assignments all over the ice. However, Vegas was able to capitalize on both of the major lapses in the Stars structure.
Shots:
Dallas 25 Vegas 30
Score:
Dallas 2 Vegas 2
Overtime
In typical 3-on-3 fashion, both clubs would trade chances to end the game. Both Oettinger and Hill, fantastic all evening, were equal to the chances. Dallas would carry the majority of the play in the extra frame, holding the puck and continually waiting for the right play to develop.
That play would fail to develop for either team, with the OT period ending without the winning tally.
Jason Robertson – No Goal (Crossbar)
Jack Eichel – No Goal (Left pad save)
Matt Duchene – Goal (snap shot, five-hole)
Shea Theodore- Goal (forehand, blocker side)
Roope Hintz – No Goal (snap shot, crossbar)
Jonathan Marchessault- Goal (Snap shot)
Final
Dallas 2 Vegas 3 (Shootout)