The Dallas Stars officially opened their 2024-25 NHL season with a 4-3 win over the Nashville Predators, marking the fifth consecutive year the organization has begun the season with a 1-0 record.
Both teams opened their first game of the season slowly, as neither was able to score in the first period. But Dallas quickly knocked the rust off with a dominant second period that helped carry the team to victory.
The Stars scored two goals within the first three minutes of the second period and two more to end the period, before entering the final 20 minutes with a 4-1 lead.
Although the Predators cut the Stars’ lead slightly after scoring two unanswered goals, the Stars remained ahead throughout the entire third period to come away with the win.
Stars left wing Mason Marchment paced the team with two goals while center Roope Hintz collected one goal and one assist, and right wing Logan Stankoven collected a total of three assists.
Marchment discussed the scoring flurry and said he actually thought the team played well during the entire game, but that the shots just happened to get through in the second period.
“I think in the first period we were a little sloppy, but after that I thought in the second period we were really good,” he explained, according to NHL.com.
“We played our game and showed it. I thought even in the third we shut them down pretty well. They got a couple looks, but good teams are going to get those. I thought we played pretty well for the first game.”
The Stars’ win also included an impressive first appearance of the season from left wing Jason Robertson, who scored one goal after missing the entirety of the preseason after getting surgery to remove a cyst on his foot.
Although the Stars have begun the season with yet another win, Head Coach Pete DeBoer said that the team cannot get too ahead of themselves because there are still a lot of games left to play.
“It’s game one,” he said, per NHL.com.
“A lot of things to work on for everybody, but a tough rink to come into against a really good team,” he said. “I thought we were in full control of that game at 4-1. We gave them a little bit of life there in the third, but that’s all a learning process for us. I thought they pushed hard like we knew they would in their home opener, a lot of new guys in the lineup, something to prove. I thought for the most part we played a smart road game, and our goalie was really good.”
