Stars Blank Islanders, 3-0

A 34-save shutout by goaltender Jake Oettinger and a step-up performance by the old guard duo of Tyler Seguin (5-on-5 and empty net goals for his first two tallies of the 2024-25 season) and captain Jamie Benn lifted the Dallas Stars to a 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders in the home opener on Saturday at American Airlines Center.

The Stars were held to just six shots on goal in the first period to 12 by the Islanders. Nonetheless, Pete DeBoer's club took a 1-0 lead to intermission.

At 7:59 of the first period, Seguin (1st) got himself open just inside the hash marks in the left slot. He snapped a shot past Semyon Varlamov to stake Dallas to a lead. The assists went to Mason Marchment and Matt Duchene.

Dallas built a 2-0 edge at the 10:58 mark of a strong second period for the Stars. It was a broken play initially. Benn received a lead pass. gained the attack zone but slipped and went down. Wyatt Johston picked up the puck and attempted a shot but got blocked. However, Johnston quickly took the puck away from a defender to regain possession and passed to Benn in the left slot. Benn (1st) scored from an area where he's scored many goals over the years. Johnston earned the lone assist.

Prior to the Benn goal, the Stars were on the wrong end of territorial play, as they'd been in their opening night win in Nashville. Now leading by two goals, the Stars controlled most of the remainder of the middle frame. Second period shots were 13-7 Stars (tied at 19-19 through two periods but the Stars owning the two shots that counted in the cash register).

Another important factor: After getting themselves in some penalty trouble in Nashville, the Stars were only whistled for the single minor for the entirety of Saturday's tilt. Oettinger made several very good saves and was able to see and track the puck on most others.

In the third period, New York made the usual more open attack that is common with a team trailing by two goals in the final stanza. Oettinger and company stood tall through New York generating 15 of the period's combined 23 shots. At the other end, Varlamov made 22 saves on 24 shots.

Finally, with 1:03 left in regulation, Seguin (2nd) scored an empty net goal from the neutral zone to ice the victory. The sequence started with Sam Steel and Marchment winning a puck battle along the defensive boards and getting the puck ahead to Seguin.

The Stars, in the midst of three games in four nights but all on home ice, will play the Seattle Kraken at AAC on Sunday.

Saturday's lineup

21 Jason Robertson - 24 Roope Hintz - 11 Logan Stankoven
27 Mason Marchment - 95 Matt Duchene - 91 Tyler Seguin
14 Jamie Benn - 53 Wyatt Johnston - 63 Evgenii Dadonov
10 Oskar Bäck - 18 Sam Steel - 15 Colin Blackwell

4 Miro Heiskanen - 23 Esa Lindell
55 Thomas Harley - 46 Ilya Lyubushkin
2 Brendan Smith - 5 Nils Lundkvist

29 Jake Oettinger
[1 Casey DeSmith]

PP1: Benn, Hintz, Robertson, Johnston, Heiskanen
PP2: Marchment, Duchene, Stankoven, Seguin, Harley

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Mini-Preview: Stars vs. Kraken

The Stars (2-0-0) are right back in action tonight as Dan Bylsma's Seattle Kraken (1-1-0) pay a visit to Big D. Game time is 7:00 p.m. central.

With Jake Oettinger having gotten the start on Saturday, look for Casey DeSmith to get his first start of the 2024-25 season in Sunday's return game.

The Kraken are coming off a 3-2 opening night home loss to the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 8 and a 5-4 (2-1) shootout road win over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. Seattle trailed 2-0 before even strength and power play goals by veteran Jordan Eberle tied the score.

In the third period, Seattle pushed back from 3-2 and 4-3 deficits as former Soo Greyhounds forward Tye Kartye and veteran Jared McCann erased Minnesota leads to force sudden death and an eventual shootout.

Oliver Bjorkstrand and Eberle (shootout winner) responded after a first round goal by veteran Mats Zuccarello (even strength goal and power play assist in regulation). Joey Daccord (30 saves on 34 shots in regulation and OT, 2-for-3 in the shootout) earned the win in net over storied veteran Marc-Andre Fleury (26 saves on 30 shots in regulation and OT, 2-for-3 in the shootout).

On Sunday, look for Philipp Grubauer to start in Dallas. Neither team held a morning skate.

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