The final stats show Vegas batting .267 for the night (4 goals on 15 shots), but barely a minute into the second period, the Golden Knights were shooting .444 (4 for 9). The Las Vegas Aces don’t always shoot with that efficiency.
It was too much too soon for the Dallas Stars as the defending champs did what they did a year ago (as did Minnesota and Seattle) by winning Game 1 of their playoff series against Dallas.
A 4-3 loss does not doom Dallas in any way or dash all the hopes around here of a two-month playoff run for the No. 1 seed in the West. But it didn’t take long — 83 seconds to be exact — for Vegas to grab the lead and show the Stars exactly what they’re up against in the opening round.
It was a night where the Stars needed Jake Oettinger to be great. He was far from it. Getting little action much of the night, Oettinger never really settled in with any comfort. Goalies like to see a few shots, especially when they get off to a rough start by surrendering goals between the legs or dropping a rebound off the face-off or never seeing a long shot from the point. It wasn’t Oettinger’s night, so it wasn’t Dallas’ night, either.
“I’d like to have all four of them back,’’ Oettinger said. “One more save and we’re in overtime. Every series we won last year, we lost Game 1 as well, so we just have to be better. It starts with me. Try to be better and go from there.’’
Every successful playoff run contains some mix of teams propping up goaltenders and goalies carrying teams on their backs. There was a bit of both for Dallas last year in its trip to the conference finals. Oettinger, who had been so sensational in his first playoff test in 2022 with a .954 save percentage against Calgary, showed a human side in his second post-season.
Seattle scored five goals against him twice as he was replaced in two of three road games against the Kraken. Vegas won three OT games against Dallas, all on very quick goals (1:19, 1:12, 3:18). Oettinger’s goals-against average in both the Seattle and Vegas series was a pedestrian .877.
But he could not have finished this regular season any better, going 10-1 in his final month with a .941 saves percentage. No goalie was hotter. There were many reasons to like Dallas making a long playoff run (still are), and Oettinger was certainly one of the first considerations.
It just didn’t happen for him in Game 1 against the Golden Knights. The visitors scored on their first shot on goal, and by early in the second period, Vegas held a 4-2 lead despite having just nine shots on goal.
It did not ease Stars’ fans pain that the first Vegas goal just 1:23 into the contest came off the stick of Mark Stone. Fans dutifully booed the visiting captain whenever he touched the puck — some of it for past malfeasance against Dallas and perhaps also for the legal but questionable manipulation of the salary cap Stone represents. When Vegas deposited him on the long-term injured reserve prior to the trade deadline, it allowed the defending champs to add key players to their payroll. They showed up Monday night at the AAC. On Vegas’ two power-play goals in the opening period, defenseman Noah Hanifin (Calgary) had two assists and Tomas Hertl (San Jose) scored the team’s third goal.
“Their additions make them a different team,’’ coach Pete DeBoer said. “If you’re going to knock off the Stanley Cup champs, you’re going to have to bring your A-game every night. I thought we did some decent things, but we were chasing the game the whole night.‘’
As for Oettinger, DeBoer said the team must do a better job in front of him, adding, “We can help him. Like everyone, he’s got another level he can get to.’’
A Game 1 loss to a second wildcard shouldn’t be the slap in the face this one feels like. The Stars can still grind out this series and win, without a doubt. But had they lost Game 1 to the LA Kings, it would feel more like it did a year ago when the Minnesota Wild stole an opener in overtime — something of a fluke.
When Johnathan Marchessault and Jack Eichel and Alex Pietrangelo are skating around and making plays, it’s an uneasy reminder of how they defeated the Stars in six games and then the Florida Panthers in five to win the Cup 10 months ago. Top to bottom, this may not be exactly the same team — goaltender Logan Thompson looked very shaky and I expect Adin Hill will be back in net before long — but it’s still a deep, experienced championship team.
On top of that, Vegas, which swept the season series, has won eight of 10 games against Dallas starting with last May’s playoff.
”That’s a good team,’’ captain Jamie Benn said. “They’re champs for a reason.’’
The Stars need a championship performance from Oettinger in Game 2 Wednesday in order to feel like this series has a chance to avoid a replay of 2023.
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