Stars Get Another Win in Back to Back Shut Out

The Dallas Stars were looking to continue building on their win against the Sharks on their road trip out East with the first stop in Buffalo. The Sabres are coming off an overtime win over the Minnesota Wild, where they came back from a 2-0 deficit. The Stars are also without Joel Kiviranta on this road trip, after a blocked shot has him out for a week.

In the first period, the Stars looked like the same team that showed up against the San Jose Sharks. They looked to be a cohesive unit with clean passes and were able to get through the neutral zone without issues, which was something they had trouble with in the first two games. Halfway through the period, the Stars found themselves on a 2-on-1 with Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen, which almost seems unfair to anyone facing the duo. Robertson got the Stars on the board with his deadly slot-wrister that rarely fails him.

The Stars showed out during the second period, tallying three more goals. Sam Steel got his first goal of the season, shortly followed by Rantanen cleaning up a rebound from an odd angle to make the score 3-0. Jack Quinn was called for cross-checking Miro Heiskanen, giving the Stars their second look at the power-play. Coming into the game, the Stars were 0 for 8, not including the failed attempt in the first period. However, the dry spell would end with Roope Hintz scoring to add even more insurance with another period to go. 

In the final frame, the Stars kept things tidy and shut the Sabres down in many of their attempts. Things did get wide open when the Stars had two grade-A chances in the Sabres end and then things went the other way, only for the Sabres to ring one off the post. Ultimately, the Stars were able to keep the Sabres off the board, recording Jake Oettinger's second shut out of the season and in back-to-back games. He has not been scored on since opening night.

Rantanen finished the game with a four-point night. He also has factored in the last five goals and is the first player to do that since Joe Pavelski in 2022. All in all, the Stars have seemed to find their groove while identifying things to work on. After the game, head coach Glen Gulutzan stated that he thought they got lax in the third period and that they need to work on sticking with it through the full 60. 

The Stars head to Pittsburgh next to take on the Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.

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